Distance
by A.Door
Summary: Bella moves to San Francisco and becomes the across the road neighbor to Alice Cullen. All human, OOC, AU. Now with a little extra.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

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"Are you sure that you're going to be alright Bells?" asked a large man.

He was dressed in a black tight fitted shirt and light green shorts to show off his defined muscles. To anyone else, he was the sight of a tanned God, a fine craft of God's truer talents, sculpted to perfection in every salivating way, to Bella however he was just Jake.

Bells, as she was called, just rolled her eyes and placed the huge box on the ground with a huff, it was definitely a bad idea to move in the San Francisco heat.

She wiped her sweaty brow.

"God, yes, how many times have I told you and everyone else, I am going to be fine here?" She said frustratingly.

The big man just put up his hands to placate his friend.

"I'm just making sure; you know how the old man gets worried about you" he acquiesced.

Bella let her features soften at the mention of her father; it was difficult to leave him alone again, especially after living with him for several months after…She shook her head, no need for those thoughts now.

"Yeah, I know, but it's been six months Jake, I'm over it." She said with a determined finality.

Jake or Jacob as he was known, made eye contact with his best friend and noticed the prevalent dark rings around her eyes. He contemplated her words to detect any hesitation, any hurt from the grazing of old wounds, he could see that she was trying to pull up her strong front, but he knew her better.

He made a mental note to himself to make more of an effort to ensure that she was sleeping.

"I don't think that you can ever get over something like that Bells," he said in fluid honesty.

Bella stared at the boxes laid out before her and frowned, she had moved from her old town and old home partially on a whim and partially to get away from the sympathetic looks she had received after the incident. She didn't want that and she certainly didn't need it, so she decided to leave everything behind, well that was her hope anyway.

A silence fell between the two friends, each in deep thought, remembering a person they held in their heart.

A loud bang of a door was heard, bringing the two people out of their reverie, but it was Jake who inclined his head toward the sound.

He squinted his eyes, the sun falling on his handsome face in order to gage the neighbours, perhaps they'd be interesting. He saw a blonde woman of ethereal beauty and next to her was a shorter companion wearing a fluoro orange head band.

When the two women saw the scene before them, they stopped mid conversation and regarded their new neighbours, a plethora of boxes lay across the yard, all filled with house essentials, but nothing personal in public view.

"Are those your neighbours? Because they be fine" Jake commented after regarding Bella's neighbours.

Bella just continued picking up a box, it was labelled **Kitchen**_**, **_she didn't understand why it would be so heavy, it's not like she'd need the other half of utensils, but then, she had always compensated for the other person in her life, no, she needed to get rid of the extra cutlery as soon as possible.

She looked at Jake and scowled when she noticed him waving enthusiastically at the neighbours.

"Jake, stop that, you might encourage them," she hissed.

Her friend stopped waving and beamed a proud smile when he noticed that they were walking across the street, well, the blonde was walking, the smaller one was bouncing it seemed.

Bella rolled her eyes once more.

"See what you did?" She stated and then walked inside the soon to be filled house.

* * *

The house itself was fairly standard, enter the front door and you'd be in the living room, which was connected to an open kitchen. There was one bedroom, one study, one bathroom, one garage for one car.

Bella set the kitchen box on the table with a sigh and looked inside the box again. She studied each utensil carefully, as if the meaning of life was somehow contained in the silver. _I really need to get rid of the extras, _she surmised to herself.

* * *

It took half an hour to empty that one box and Bella had yet to see her friend Jake come back into the house. She walked to the front porch lighting a cigarette on her way out.

"Well, speak of the devil, here she is," She heard Jake say.

She stopped in her tracks, like a deer caught in headlights, she could feel the burn of the cigarette between her fingertips.

Looking at Jake, she communicated a silent question.

"_Is everything ok?"_

He nodded in the affirmative, so she looked at the two women.

They were both dressed in light attire, obviously about to go for a run and their time for physical activity definitely showed in their physique.

Bella however couldn't help but notice that the shorter one of the duo could barely contain her excitement, if bouncing on the balls of her feet were any indication, whilst the other taller blonde stared directly at her.

"I'm Alice and that's Rosalie, we live across the road with another housemate, Leah," the shorter one said in a flurry.

Bella slowly lifted the cigarette to her mouth, inhaled and exhaled, loving the way the smoke filled her lungs. It was a good feeling to be filled with something again.

"Bella" She replied.

An awkward silence followed.

Bella leaned against the doorframe of the house and continued breathing in her cigarette.

Jake was frowning at his friend in disapproval.

"We were just discussing the possibility of dinner tonight?" Alice said not noticing the tension in the air.

Bella's eyes widened at the proposal and then she scowled at Jake, she did _not _want to make nice with the new neighbours.

She looked at Jake to confirm the small ones intention and saw his puppy dog pout, that damned pout had defined the entirety of their relationship and was the causation to all of Bella's past indiscretions.

Bella sighed, that damned pout.

"Yeah sure," she replied begrudgingly.

"Great see you at seven," Alice said with every bit of confidence that it would not be awkward.

With one last nod, Bella flicked her cigarette onto the pavement and turned into the house.

"Well, I'm going to get some sleep now" she dismissed.

Jake was still frowning at his friend, he felt that she needed to open up more, he was about to speak out when another voice called instead.

"You know, you shouldn't smoke," Alice let her voice be carried into the air and it caused the woman addressed, to stop in her in her tracks and turn around.

Bella quirked an eyebrow at the smaller woman who just shrugged her shoulders in response.

"It's a bad habit" Alice finished.

Bella smirked, "So are women" she retorted with a wink and then sauntered off, leaving a bewildered crowd behind.

"Have a nice run," Bella waved behind her back and then the door slammed shut.

Jake shook his head bemused, "Well, that was something," he commented.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight**

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**~~~Later that night**

_Knock Knock Knock_

Bella ran to the door whilst clasping the towel to her body, she had almost finished settling in to the new house, but decided to complete it tomorrow.

She hurriedly grabbed the keys on the kitchen table and opened the door leaning against the frame.

"Did somebody forget their keys again?" she asked in a sing song voice, but her playful smirk turned into horror when she realised that before her, stood the neighbours from before in the afternoon and another woman.

The three women stood gaping at their across-the-road neighbour, they were definitely not checking out how the water from her hair dripped onto her collar bone.

"Or not…" Bella said, hoping that the oncoming blush would stay down.

Alice, Rose and who Bella assumed to be Leah was still gaping her; she tightened her hold on her towel and pleaded that this be a really bad dream.

However, this was not the case as Alice was the first to snap out of her reverie.

"Dinner at seven…Ringing any bells?" she asked, the mirth on her voice was not lost on anyone.

"Oh er, yes, come in..." Bella said.

She stepped aside so that the visitors could enter and _she _definitely did not notice their unique scents, or that they all seemed to be really good looking.

Once inside, Bella closed the door and took a breath before looking at the women just standing in her doorway.

Alice smiled at her and then extended her arm.

"We brought some wine as a peace offering," she said genuinely.

Bella looked at the procured gift and studied it before gingerly retrieving it, she was still very much embarrassed.

"Thanks…" She said and then an awkward silence ensued.

Bella rubbed the back of her neck, "I'm going to put on some clothes now, just, make yourselves at home." She said and then strode towards her room, all the while cursing Jacob and his friendly nature.

The three women didn't have time to respond as they saw the retreating form of their neighbour; they walked into the living room and sat down on the crimson coloured couch, they all noticed Don Mcleans 'American Pie' wafting through the void.

"Hot neighbour chick has got good taste in music." Leah said, trying to start conversation.

Rose refrained from slapping Leah, whilst Alice just stared at her incredulously.

"What? She does" Leah defended.

Rose and Alice decided not to comment.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and Bella still had yet to exit her room; the three women on her couch were having a discussion when it was cut short by a loud bang and heavy footsteps.

"Honey I'm home!" They heard the familiar booming voice.

Jacob Black stood with his arms akimbo and took in the three ladies sitting on his best friends couch.

"Well, this is a nice surprise, I thought I was coming home to one not…Oh my God, Leah? Leah fucking Clearwater, is that you?" He rushed to the darker woman and grabbed her hands.

Leah, who hadn't seen Jacob in years brightened and reciprocated the gesture.

"Jacob Black? What the fuck are you doing in my neighbourhood?" she asked astounded at the sight before her.

"Helping Bella move in of course!" He replied with the same amount of fervour.

Leah let go of his hands and gaped.

"Bella? _that's _Bella as in?" She asked.

"Yeppp" He said, nodding his head enthusiastically.

Bella decided to make her presence known at that moment, clad in a white button up shirt and dark blue jeans she rushed to the commotion.

"What's with all the screaming?" She asked.

Jacob smiled at his friend and silently approved of her attire, it seemed as though she was actually making an effort, if the buttons actually aligned correctly were any indication.

"Bella, this is _the_ Leah Clearwater." He introduced.

Bella's head snapped towards Leah's form in recognition "Clearwater? Your Sue's daughter" She stated.

Leah nodded in affirmation, "Yeah I am, hey look I…" She began, however Bella cut her off immediately.

"What's everyone drinking? Jake, what do you want?" She asked being the ever graceful hostess.

At the mention of alcohol Jake perked up, "Oh oh, I want a cider!" he exclaimed.

Bella rolled her eyes, sometimes for such a big guy, her best friend could be such a pansy, she took everyone's orders and made a quick beeline to her fridge.

Conversation resumed and it was only Rosalie who noticed the abrupt change in conversation but she decided against questioning it, for one, it wasn't her place to meddle in her new neighbours business and secondly, she was certainly digging the rhythm and blues from the songs playing in the house.

After the compulsory introductions, the group decided to go eat at a restaurant, which was fifteen minutes away by car.

Bella looked at her car with love; Jake rolled his eyes at the adoration his best friend was displaying to her hunk of junk that was just barely hanging by a belt.

"Get in," Bella ordered.

When Bella was assured that all the passengers in her car had fastened their seatbelts, she made a motion as if she were speaking into a pilot intercom and, in her best air-hostess voice she continued.

"Ladies and Gentleman please take warning; any complaints regarding sharp turns, fast driving or bad music will be duly noted and promptly ignored. If the urge to play corners arises, please refrain yourselves, as heavy movement will affect the momentum of the car, however, if you so choose to lose your heart, sing obnoxiously or make general conversation, these acts will be tolerated. Have a nice ride."

Jacob rolled his eyes at his friend's antics, however, on the inside he was beaming with happiness, because it had been so long since he had heard his friend behave so playfully.

Bella placed her key in the ignition and released a sigh of relief when she heard the music and the engine coming alive.

Blink 182's Dammit screeched through the speakers causing an obvious reaction to Bella, which surprised and entertained all the female passengers in the car.

As she was taking directions from Alice, Bella was head banging, singing and tapping her fingers against the steering wheel to the rhythm of the song. She was immersed in the song, like a droplet of water coming home to the ocean.

She looked in the rear view mirror and caught the eyes of the pixie, but Bella wasn't self-conscious, because dammit, this was her car that she had since way back then, this was her mobile home and thus sacred place.

"What?" she asked to the amused eyes.

Alice grinned wider and shook her head at her neighbour.

"Nothing, turn left" she directed.

Alice had been watching her neighbour with genuine curiosity, she had only known the woman for all of an hour but there was something about her that Alice was very inclined to agree with. Whether it was her awkward interactions with people, her guarded disposition or amusing quirks, Alice knew that this woman was someone different, she could feel it strongly. But she knew that this was not someone that she could push, that she needed to let fate takes its course, so that something could happen, what that something is, Alice wouldn't be able to articulate.

They reached the pub without any issues and seeing as it was a weekday, there were only a few customers about. It wasn't too dark, but it was overtly bright either, the dim yellow lights adding to the welcoming atmosphere, the pub permeated warmth.

Bella was deep in thought as she opened the door to the pub and then stepped aside, she was currently blaming Jake for everything that had conspired within the past hour, she had moved to San Fran to get away from people, not make new friends.

"How Gentlemanly of you," Bella heard from Alice.

She snapped out of her musings and, for the first time noticed the cold metal of the doorhandle in her hand; it had been an automatic behavioural trait Bella had learned over the years, opening doors door people that is.

"What?" She asked the smaller woman, who was now standing on the other side of the door.

"Nothing," replied Alice with a smile.

Bella followed behind the group again, again lost in her own musings.

They settled in the restaurant, Jake and Bella sitting on one side of the table, Leah and Rose adjacent and Alice at the head, each ordered a pint of beer and then sat comfortably, like a group of old high school friends catching up.

Everyone was given a menu and Bella became suddenly immersed on what was on display.

"So how long have you two been together for?" Rose asked curiously, having noticed the intimate relationship between Jake and Bella.

Jacob was about to answer, however Bella shot through with her own question.

"What year is it?" The abruptness caught everyone off guard.

"Umm, 2014, but Bella, I don't think that she means …" Jake replied, knowing what his friend was thinking.

"About ten years" Bella said nonchalantly, still intent on reading the menu.

"Ten years?!" she heard multiple exclamations.

The brunette just put her menu down and looked at her companions, "Yeah?" She replied, it _is _what she had just said.

Alice looked at her bewilderment, "I don't think that I've ever had a commitment for that long before" she commented with a slight frown.

"Well, ever since the day I made him eat a mud pies, I knew that he'd be in my life forever." Bella stated, she didn't see what all the fuss was about, she and Jake had been best friends for ten years; they had celebrated their friend-aversary just last fall at a winery.

"Bella, I don't think that that's what they meant," Jake intervened, hoping that his friend would understand the predicament she had placed them in.

A silence fell upon the table; seconds seemed to tick by, whilst Jake patiently waited for his friend to click.

Alice looked at Bella for a moment and found her facial expressions amusing. First, indifferent, then irritated then confusion and then blank. After a few seconds, comprehension took its turn and it took everything within Alice not to giggle at the _'oh shit'_ face Bella pulled.

She really was quite endearing Alice surmised.

"Oh shit no, no, I mean, we're not like that, not at all, he's just a friend," Bella stated in a flurry, she could feel the heat in her cheeks at the insinuation of her and Jake together. It had happened before, but it was no less embarrassing, mostly because they were both batting for the other team.

Jake tried to hide his smirk behind his menu, "Don't flatter yourself Bells, I don't settle with just anyone" he said with a wink.

Having realized the jab, Bella ignored her current embarrassment and scowled.

"Fuck you, I'm hot," she said and then she proceeded to fold her arms, poking her tongue out for effect; it was only Jake, who could make her revert back to her childish ways.

The table chuckled at the duos banter; the waitress returned with the drinks and received orders from each person.

"So, how long have you and Leah been together?" Bella asked after a few moments, loving the way the beer slid down her throat.

Rose and Leah blushed.

"How did you…" Leah began.

"You've been holding hands under the table ever since we got here," Bella commented.

Jake realizing his friend's lack of tact decided to intercede, "You don't need to be shy about your relationship with us; I've been gay since she's made me eat mud pies," He said pointing a thumb at his companion.

Leah took a sip from her beer, "About two years now."

"How'd you meet?" He asked.

"We used to live near the same area," Leah informed.

Bella blanched whilst Jake's eyebrows rose, "Oh really? I live in the same area that Leah did, what's your last name?"

"Cullen." Rose supplied.

Jake's eyes widened, "Holy shit, you're _that_ Cullen?" He exclaimed and then he looked at Bella nervously, who was busy burning a hole into her drink.

"What do you mean _that _Cullen?" Rose almost snarled, out of her family, she was the most protective.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the table, Bella punched Jake hard in the thigh before he could clarify.

"Nothing" Bella replied, she looked at her friend noticed his sheepish look.

"He meant _nothing_ by it, right Jake?" She further emphasised.

Jake shook his head animatedly, "Yeah, nah, just that your dad does some pretty good things at Forks hospital that's all."

Rose again noticed this strange exchange and decided against reacting to it, she tucked it in her mind for future reference however.

She smiled at the thought of her father, "He'd be glad to know that, I'll make sure I tell him of your accolades."

"Please don't" Bella requested in all seriousness, however the plea went past the people at the table.

"So, how do you guys know each other?" Jake asked towards Alice and Rose.

Alice perked up, "Rose and I are sisters" she said with unabashed pride.

Bella looked up sharply at this new information and opened her mouth to speak; however Alice cut her off, as years of practised speech had been embedded in her after such a confession.

"No we're not blood related and yes, I was adopted when I was seven when my parents died." There was no spite in her words, it was just informative.

"Oh" Was all Bella could reply.

A silence fell and Alice almost smacked her forehead at her lack of tact, she didn't intend to make her neighbour feel guilty for her curiosity. She told herself that if she is to befriend her neighbour she must be considerate about it. So, instead of placating the matter with awkward apologies, she decided to go for a different route.

"Well, that escalated quickly." She said in her most Ron Burgandy voice.

The table collectively blew a sigh of relief and Jake guffawed.

Bella nodded her head in appreciation that Alice didn't make it a big thing and in return the smaller woman just winked.

After the moment passed, the table fell into comfortable conversation; Jake asked questions pertaining to San Francisco's great hang outs, he also caught up with Leah and asked various questions to Rose and Alice to which they were happy to engage.

It turns out Leah and Rose had met one day whilst the blonde was stranded on the side of the road, her car had broken down and Leah picked her up thinking that she was a mirage, the rest, as they say, was history.

Bella was content in just listening and drinking her beer, it had been a while since she had been in such large company or consumed alcohol, but hearing Jake's incessant chatter and from moving in, she felt that she deserved it. She concentrated on her sweaty palms, if Rose and Alice lived in the same area as Jake and Leah, surely they would know who she was. Either they did and had the courtesy to not discuss it or they didn't and Bella certainly wasn't going to discern it by asking them. She would have to be careful in her interactions with Leah and the Cullen's perhaps she could move again, surely there had to be something wrong with her house so as to warrant an immediate departure.

"Are you ok?" She heard from her right. She looked up and saw the concerned gaze of Alice Cullen The word _Cullen Cullen Cullen,_ repeated itself through Bella's mind as she looked at the green eyes. She felt her heart palpitate and briefly wandered if the entire table could hear her it.

"Fine." She replied.

Alice nodded her head, albeit a little confused to the sudden sharpness of her neighbours disposition, but she decided to let it drop.

Bella however sighed; it was a small fucking world indeed.

The food arrived and there was a moments silence as each person enjoyed their meal and the company.

"Hungry?" Bella commented at her friend's lack of table manners.

"Like a wolf" Jake replied with a grin and wink.

Bella just rolled her eyes.

"You're lame," she said.

Jake smirked, "Your mom's lame" he retorted childishly.

"You mom's second child is lame," Bella struck back, knowing full well that Jake was the middle child of three.

Leah laughed and agreed wholeheartedly.

And that is how dinner preceded, Jake and Bella in a verbal trite.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

* * *

**Three Weeks Later.**

Bella hated dressing up, she hated going out and she hated being forced to enter clubs, however her best friend Jake insisted that the neighbours show them a good night out. And, seeing as she couldn't resist his or Alice's pouts at her protest, she found herself entering a gay and lesbian club. She was dressed to the ninths in a dressy black chiffon almost see through blouse, tight fitted light blue jeans and her newest addition to her shoe collection, a pair of light brown Palladium high tops. If anyone had ever questioned her sexuality, well, they wouldn't now.

It was just like any other ordinary club, florescent lights in a dark arena, wisps of smoke permeating the air, bodies of all types gyrating, dancing, moving in a collective to a remixed Tegan and Sara song, Bella almost rolled her eyes at the cliché scene. She made a beeline towards the bar and immediately noticed Rosalie, the blonde was leaning against the counter just watching the crowd, presumably waiting for Leah, she was adorned in a white cotton shirt, black fitted suit pants and black suspenders, her head slightly pumping to the song.

Rosalie felt a presence enter her personal space and, knowing that it wasn't her girlfriend she looked at Bella with odd fascination. Her neighbour didn't look at all comfortable being in this scene, but her nervous energy was wanned by her usual indifferent mask.

"I would never have pegged you the type to hang out in these types of joints." Rose commented wryly.

Bella ordered a drink and definitely did not stare at the plunging neckline of the bartender, because if she did, she would've seen the bartenders smirk.

"Jacob and Alice are as worse as each other." Bella grunted by way of explanation as she too leaned against the bar with the blonde.

It had been three weeks since Bella had moved into her residence and it was only after much arguing with Jake did she decide to stay. She had noticed that her best friend was quickly building a plutonic relationship with all the females across the road. And whereas it did concern her that she was made to be involved in the festivities, she didn't want to dictate Jake's life; he was a loving and loyal person by nature so who was she to impede on his happiness? She just wished that he would leave her out of it sometimes.

Bella shook her head from her thoughts and regarded the blonde, "By the way, what you're wearing, how very Brittany Spears of you," she commented with a smirk.

Rosalie rolled her eyes, "I'm going to kill Leah, I knew the suspenders were too much, but she insisted, she's dressed similar to me as well."

The other woman quirked an eyebrow at the information, "She wouldn't happen to be a Glee fan would she?"

The blonde nodded her head but was confused at the odd question, "She loves the show, why?"

In response, Bella almost laughed out loud, "Nothing, but you may want to check out something called Brittana."

Still confused, Rose just nodded her head, "Where's your big oaf of a friend?"

"He made a beeline toward the bathroom; he's never going to learn that you don't _just_ go to the men's bathroom at a gay club."

"Cheers to that." Rose said and then they clinked glasses in mutual agreement.

Rosalie chuckled, her neighbour wasn't the most expressive person, however, at least she was honest, a trait that she appreciated.

In fact, if Rose were to be truly honest, she didn't know her neighbour at all, she had seen the other woman only a handful of times. Her friend Jake, she believed was a big oaf, however, his cheery nature and boyish charm outmatched Alice's and he made her usually quiet girlfriend Leah happy, so she had no need to be wary of him. Bella however was entirely different, Rose knew that she was a contemplator, a person who always second guessed their actions, like a person who was afraid to reveal too much about themselves. Bella wore her heart on her sleeve, but what that sleeve was covering she wasn't able to discern and this caused the greatest apprehension to the blonde.

They stood in comfortable silence just watching the crowd, until the blonde squinted her eyes at a couple in the crowd.

"Uh oh, Bitchtoria alert, dammit, where's Leah when I need her?" Rose said, concern laced in her voice.

"What's a Bitchtoria?" Bella asked.

"Oh just a tall, bitchy, slutty red head," Rose pointed toward the crowd with her chin and when Bella saw Alice in front of a red head Bella couldn't help but give the taller woman a once over.

Bella immediately noticed the confidence exuding from the red head, it was within her stance, her look, her polished clothes, her red hair was like a beacon to unsuspecting and lost victims, calling out to them, entrancing them with its vibrancy. And right now, said victim was her neighbour Alice.

"Ouch, does it have sister?" She commented.

"That is Alice's ex. Dammit, look at her, Alice looks like a lamb ready for the slaughter." Rose didn't want to intervene as she had been told by Alice multiple times not to cause trouble. It wasn't Rose's fault that she had to protect her little sister; it was in her genetic makeup. However, Alice had never said anything about Leah intervening, so, with her mind made up, Rose took to finding her girlfriend in order to disrupt the meeting.

Just as she was about to text her girlfriend she heard a deep sigh beside her.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Rose heard Bella say and, before she could question the brunettes intentions, Bella consumed the rest of her glass in one gulp, slammed the glass on the counter top and strode towards the two women in the crowded bar.

Rose just looked on in stunned silence.

Bella's hands were sweating and it was not because the bar was hot, she really couldn't believe that she was going to do this for her neighbour that she had known for just a few weeks. She blamed Jake, it was his fault she was here, it was his fault that she was dressed like she cared; it was his fault that women were giving her surreptitious winks and it was his fault that she just placed a possessive arm around Alice's waist and jerked the smaller woman closer to her body.

"Hey babe," Bella greeted loud enough for the two women to hear.

She ignored Alice's flinch to her touch, it wasn't the first time a woman had done so, but she was determined to follow through with her plan, if anything, Alice's recoil made her hold onto the smaller woman tighter.

"B-Bella?" Alice asked.

"Just play along," She whispered leaving no room for discussion.

Alice understood what Bella's intentions were and her eyes shone with a gratefulness that almost made Bella let go, take a step backwards and retreat back to the bar…almost.

Instead, the brunette just drummed her fingers on Alice's waist.

"Victoria, this is Bella, my current girlfriend," Alice explained to her ex who was now staring at the faux couple in front of her.

Bella noticed Alice fall into the roles fluently, she noticed how Alice relaxed in her hold and even leaned in a bit closer, she also noticed that Alice smelled like honey.

"Nice to meet you," Victoria grunted, obviously unhappy by the turn of events.

"Sup" Bella replied with the interest of an adult in a child's conversation, she had no intention of hearing the reply so she turned her attention back to Alice.

"I'm taking you away now," she declared and then ushered Alice away towards the bar, leaving Bitch, erm, Victoria gaping.

"By the way, you owe me a drink," Bella whispered to Alice, who was still in awe of the events.

If you were to ask Bella what made her take those few steps to save Alice from talking to her ex, she wouldn't be able to tell you. Perhaps it was the alcohol that she downed or perhaps it was because Bella knew what it was like to be stuck in a position and just desperately want someone to take you away. In any case, her something within her won out because sometimes actions don't have to be justified.

When they got to the bar, Leah and Jake were standing next to Rose with huge grins on their faces, obviously watching the scene unfold.

Jake looked at his friend and quirked an eyebrow, silently asking if she was ok.

She nodded in the affirmative and, once she reached the bar, she let go of Alice.

"You should have seen the look on Bitchtoria's face," Leah commented, throwing Bella a high five, to which Bella shyly responded.

"Damn Bells, I thought your shining armour had rusted off by now." Jake said faux polishing his friend's attire.

In response Bella slapped him affectionately.

"Shut up man." She said with a huff.

Jake looked at his friend with proud eyes, "Seriously though, you did good kid."

"Yeah, yeah." Bella replied, she was not blushing; it was just hot in the bar.

She felt a hand grab her own and looked at the owner.

"Thanks Bella, I just, I thought I could handle her," Alice said in gratitude. Bella's gesture certainly took her by surprise; of all the people she was with, Bella would probably be the last person she would have thought to show such chivalry.

Bella rubbed the back of her neck, not appreciating the sudden attention directed at her.

"Yeah well, you're welcome; I'm going to go for a smoke," She dismissed, shrugging the hand off of her.

Alice noticed the brunette's withdrawal but didn't comment instead, she scrunched up her face in distaste, "You really should give that up, it's nasty."

Bella turned around, it wasn't the first nor the last time she was going to be admonished for her habit by Alice, "You think that's nasty? Just wait 'til I start dancing" She made her way towards the exit, when again, she felt a hand grasp her wrist.

"Wait Bella, I think you're forgetting something," Leah said.

Bella shook her head, "I'll get a drink later."

Leah smirked, "No no, Bella, that little role play that you just instigated? You guys need to act more couple-y" She said as if it were the most obvious thing on earth.

Bella raised an eyebrow at that, "What the fuck is couple-y?" She asked incredulously.

By this time, Leah had let go of Bella's hand and the group had joined in on the conversation.

"You know, hang around each other, touch, kiss, flirting. Like what you guys do now, just with more kissing."

In various weeks when they had all hung out, Leah had noticed Alice's curious and sometimes intense gazing at Bella, it wasn't a sexual predatory gaze, but it was there. Leah also watched Bella's interactions with the smaller woman, it was mostly indifferent, however, when Leah had compared Bella's exchanges with others, she noticed that she was mostly dismissive. It was the indifference that Bella showed to Alice which piqued her interest, because she knew that if Bella had absolutely no intentions of befriending or having any interaction with any of them, then the brunette would do everything and anything in her power to cut all communications, Jake's influence be damned.

However, her comment was not well received by Alice who protested vehemently, "B-Bella and I do not do t-that, we do not flirt."

"Do we?" Before she could protest further, Alice felt herself get pulled toward a body and before she could even process what was happening, she felt her lips get assaulted.

She tried to pull away, but the hold on her only tightened, it was a kiss that was both forceful and kind, one that spoke of practised intimacy yet one that was reserved only for her.

By the time she could respond to the kiss, she could only taste the cherry lip gloss on her lips, which was a curious thing considering that she hadn't worn any to the bar.

"I'll be right back," She felt the breath on her lips whisper.

And then Alice felt her body being released, the desire to re-create the moments prior lingered in her mind.

"I didn't actually mean, a full-fledged kiss," She heard Leah comment.

By the time Alice had recovered, Bella was gone with Jake and Rose was glaring at the exit.

Rose wasn't jealous, she was protective and someone cannot just make out with her little sister in front of her without warrant or regard for her sisters feelings.

* * *

"Dude, what was that?" Jake asked animatedly to his best friend.

Bella compulsively lit her cigarette, took a deep breath and then exhaled; she looked at her friend and then exploded in a flurry of emotions. "Man, I don't know, I just wanted everyone to shut up, I mean, come on! It isn't that rare that I do something nice is it?" The brunette could have smacked her forehead repeatedly on the brick wall for her impulsivity. She just wanted everyone to halt their incessant chatter about her doing a good deed for Alice, it wasn't such a rarity to find that Bella actually did good things was it?

Jake tried his best to placate her, "Hey, it's ok, like I said, you did good, don't beat yourself up ok?"

"No Jake, what if she thinks that I like her, what if she thinks that I want her?" Bella dismissed, Jake in return just regarded his friend, this was the first time in a while since he had seen his friend actually concerned and so animated and to some extent it warmed his heart to see a flicker of his old friend return.

"Orrrrr what if she just likes the taste of your cherry chapstick?" He replied impishly, causing his friend to scowl at him.

"Shut up Jake, I'm being serious," she responded.

Jake put his hands up, "So am I, _do_ you like her?" he decided to ask his best friend, like Leah, he had noticed the interactions between Alice and Bella.

Bella regarded the question for a moment but then shook her head, "No, I've only met her a handful of times and I really don't think I'm in the mental capacity to be in a relationship with someone right now Jake." She leaned against the clubs wall and frowned at the dumpster in the alleyway.

Jake leaned next to his best friend, "Hey I get it, you just got out of a long term relationship and you're still feeling the backlash, but Bella, don't shut yourself off from people completely and don't think that you don't deserve to be around people."

In response the brunette looked at her friend with a vulnerability that he hadn't seen since they left their hometown, "It's not easy Jake; it's just so hard to be independent when, for so long you used to be dependent with someone, you know? I just don't know what I'm doing anymore, how do I integrate myself back into society when a huge part of me is missing?"

Jake regarded his friend with the upmost sympathy and Bella almost recoiled at the look he was giving her, "You don't get it do you? Bella, before her you were an individual, when you met her you were an individual and now? You're still that fucking beautiful individual and I just can't fathom how you could see yourself as anything but."

Bella thought about his words, it was true, she had always been an individual, but it was because she had that other person in her life that she was able to flourish into that person. Now, without them, she was lost, she didn't know how could she even begin to be herself when a big part of herself was embedded in the life of someone else.

"Sometimes I feel like she took all those things away from me when she left," she admittedly quietly.

Jake smiled at his friend and hugged her tightly, he had missed this Bella, the one who talked to him, his best friend that he would always be there for, "She didn't, I can still see it and I think that Alice sees it as well. Give her a chance at friendship Bella, you owe it to yourself to prove that you can still do this whole, making friends thing."

Bella with trepid arms hugged her friend back, months' worth of pent up emotions coming to the foreground and for a split moment, Bella couldn't help the image of Alice permeating into her mind's eye, after all, she had been the catalyst.

"You know, I don't think she would give a flying fuck if you were with someone new," she heard Jake assure.

She let go of Jake and blinked her tired eyes, "Well, I do care Jake," she said emotionlessly, she turned around and regarded the dark alley way for the last time, "Let's head back inside."

* * *

When Bella returned, Leah, Rose and Jake were dancing on the floor, knowing that she wasn't going to participate in such events, she went to the bar and noticed that Alice was there sitting alone drinking a beer.

'_Don't send her mixed signals and just be straight with her'_ her mind ordered and Bella was very inclined to agree with the sentiment.

She took the empty stool next to Alice and the woman instantly looked up at her, eyes shining brightly even in the bar.

"Look, just to get this straight, I'm not interested in you like that, my intentions were to save you from your ex," Bella stated.

And, for the second time that night, she felt like smacking her own forehead, she seemed to feel like doing that action a lot in the presence of the pixie woman. She hadn't meant to be so blunt about it. _It's too late to go back now, _Bella thought to herself with dread.

However, her anxiety was not founded as Alice was currently regarding her with a small smile on her face.

"Well, there goes my ego," Alice said dramatically, wiping an imaginary tear from her face.

Bella looked at her neighbour curiously, trying to discern whether or not she was being truthful in her sarcasm.

"Seriously Bella, you kiss me once and you really think, that I think that you've fallen head over heels for me? Contrary to what my size dictates, I act my age, not my shoe size honey," Alice stated, ok, she was a little wounded by Bella's words, but that was more of her ego than anything else. She knew that the taller woman held no other inclinations at this point in time other than perhaps friendship and she was quite happy to explore that avenue with her.

Bella, for her part blew a sigh of relief, _Oh thank God that she's sane _she thought to herself, she glanced at the smaller woman and couldn't help but notice how Alice was quite pretty under the hue of the club lights. _What the actual fuck?_ Bella berated herself; she gave a loud cough to halt her thoughts and then decided to change the topic.

"So tell me about Bitchtoria" Bella asked curiously, and in response, Alice scrunched her face; her neighbour was quite liberal with her words sometimes.

"You as well?" She huffed.

"It has a ring to it" Bella shrugged in response.

Alice took a generous sip from her beer, "We used to date, for lack of a better term."

At this, the brunette quirked an eyebrow, "Lack of a better term? It's either you did or you didn't Alice."

"Ok, I used to date her and she used to fuck me," Alice deadpanned.

Bella almost chocked on her drink, from all the times that she had spent with Alice, she had never heard her swear or use such vulgarity, Alice was dainty and there was a prime etiquette instilled within her like Rose.

"Language!" she admonished, in reply the smaller woman just laughed.

"What? You have the vocabulary of a sailor! I say the word fuck once and you fall off your seat, double standards much?"

"It just sounds strange coming from your mouth, like an ant dressed up as a honeybee trying to get to the hive."

Alice quirked an eyebrow at this, her neighbour could be quite liberal with her words, but she could also be quite poetic sometimes, "Are you the hive in this situation?"

Bella chuckled in response, she was actually quite enjoying the casual banter with her neighbour, with Jake their verbal trite generally consisted of 'your mom' jokes. But with Alice, it was different; it was witty but carried a little bite, something that Bella liked in an opponent.

"Back to the topic, you guys used to date?"

Alice smiled, obviously enjoying the banter that they assumed every time they were together, "As I said, I date her and she just …"

"…Fucked you, yeah I get it, but what does that actually mean?" Bella knew that Alice wasn't one to have a fuck buddy, she was one who would capture someone and never let them go, she believed in love and monogamy, well, that was what the brunette suspected anyway.

Alice toyed with the edge of her beer bottle, the past relationship still playing within her mind, although she had learnt to let go of her ex, it didn't make her feel any less stupid for her naivety, "It means the truth, I believed us to be in a relationship, one filled with all the gooey mushy feelings, future pathways and adventures, she however believed us to be each other's sex toy."

"How did you figure that?"

Alice smiled a sad smile, "Well, at first I thought it was odd that she would never want to see me on Friday nights, I just thought that she had work, I never really wanted to ask her about it because she was adamant that she would be pre-occupied those days. Little did I know, Fridays are the designated days where she becomes straight for a day with a guy named James, we "dated" for about three months before I caught on"

"You're slow on the uptake huh?" Bella smirked, trying to place some humour in the serious conversation, it was terrible but at least she tried.

Alice, bless her, took the comment in stride and smiled, "It's not that, I just don't believe in restricting people in a relationship, if you already had plans before me, then fine, just let me know and whenever you're ready to tell me what's going on then I'll be here. But never ever lie to me and never _ever_ cheat on me"

"Honesty's the best policy with you?" Bella asked in disbelief, Alice nodded her head in return and the brunette almost wanted to scoff at her candour, "the truth hurts sometimes Alice" she stated factually.

In return, Alice just gave her a dazzling smile, "No, the truth doesn't hurt, what hurts is that the prior perception that you've held about someone or yourself shatters. The truth, I have found, can be quite comforting."

The two became lost in their own thoughts.

"You're very strange," Bella commented after a few moments of silence.

Alice's eyebrow quirked at that random assessment, "Strange good or strange bad? Because I've had both and I'm not sure which one I like better," she asked.

"Good, you hold very interesting thoughts," Bella clarified somewhat.

"I'll take as a compliment." Alice said and then smiled.

"So, how about you? Any crazy ex's?" Alice inquired.

Bella frowned into her drink as she thought of a response to her companions question, "I've only ever dated one person in my life and she's not a crazy ex per say, though, she did drive _me _crazy sometimes," a humourless laugh escaped Bella's lips when she thought about her past relationship.

"What happened?" Alice asked, hoping to get some insight to her neighbour, in reply Bella just glanced at the other woman and Alice noticed the hurt that were held in her eyes.

"That's not…"

"You guys ready to go?" The two women glanced at Jake who had suddenly appeared by their side. _Oh my God go away Jake!_ Alice screamed in her mind.

Bella shook herself from thoughts of the past and then downed her drink, "Yes." She answered and then made a motion to get up.

Alice almost huffed aloud at Jake's inappropriate timing, however, she found it within herself to not glare at the male who ruined the moment, she was about to stand up to find her housemates when she felt Bella tug at her arm.

"In all honesty Alice, I actually had a good time tonight, but you better not tell Jake I said that," her neighbour whispered and, before Alice could reply her neighbour had already turned around.

_You're quite interesting yourself Bella. _Alice thought to herself and then took another generous swig of beer.

* * *

**Thank you for reading**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight**

* * *

Bella was smoking on her front porch when she noticed the small frame of her neighbour creeping around her own house from across the road, thinking it odd that the woman was trying to be a peeping tom into her home, she decided to investigate.

She crossed the road and stood just behind to where Alice was intently looking into the front window.

"What are we doing?" Bella whispered, effectively giving Alice a heart attack and making her jump a mile into the air.

"D-Don't d-do t-that!" Alice yelled and then clutched her palpitating heart, hoping that it would calm.

The smaller woman took a few breathes and noticed that Bella had the audacity to look sheepish, "I-in answer to your q-question, I'm locked outside of my h-house." Alice stuttered in exasperation.

Bella almost laughed out loud, _the_ Alice Cullen who always had an answer for everything, who had the uncanny ability to predict the outcomes of events, the cool, calm and collected _Alice_, was locked out of her house. She would have found it comical if it weren't for her neighbour's distressed state at the moment, instead, Bella just scratched the back of her neck.

"Do you want to call your housemates?" she asked tentatively.

Alice was currently trying to jimmy the base of her window open with her bare hands, "They're in Seattle at the moment and won't be back until tomorrow, so there's no point in calling them and I really wouldn't want to interrupt them," she grunted.

Every few months, Rose and Leah went away just because they could, like a couple's retreat and Alice never wanted to intervene, besides, it was nice to be away from the doting couple sometimes. She loved them both dearly, but sometimes their affections and amorous adventures would keep her awake until the early hours of the morning, and no one should ever hear their sister yell to the god's in worship of another person.

No one.

Alice stopped her attempts to break into her house and then leaned against the wall underneath the window.

Bella looked at the forlorn expression on her neighbour's face, "Is there someone you can call that has a spare key?" When Alice shook her head in the negative, Bella rolled her eyes; her neighbour could be quite dramatic sometimes.

"Come on," she ordered.

At this Alice's head perked up, her neighbour was towering over her and the beams hit her in just the right light that she looked like a saviour of some description, "Pardon?" she asked.

Bella held out her hand for Alice to get up, "You're not going to stay out here for the night; Jake would kill me if I let his new friend perish in the San Francisco sun and, call me a gentleman but I can't sit idly by on my couch and watch a pretty defenceless and pitiful soul starve to death, so come on." Alice took the offered hand and with a grunt she got up.

"Did you just call me pitiful?" she asked.

Bella folded her arms across her chest, "I also called you pretty, but trust a girl to only hear the negative," she snorted.

"You think I'm pretty?" Alice asked quite puzzled at her neighbour's backward compliments.

Bella sighed and began walking to her house, "I now also think that you either have PMS or that you're bipolar."

"Hey! I do not have bipolar!" Alice exclaimed following her neighbour, at this, Bella just smirked.

"So you just have PMS then?" she retorted and then opened her front door.

"Who has PMS?" they heard from Jake, who effectively broke their verbal spat.

Alice quit her glaring at Bella and then rushed toward Jake, almost tackling him to the ground.

"ALICE!"

"Hey Jake!" They greeted each other in unison.

"What are you doing here? Not that I don't enjoy your company," he exclaimed and then put her down.

Alice blushed, "I locked myself outside of my house, so Bella has been a kind enough person to not let me catch my death out there." At this, Jake looked at Bella to confirm the information; however she was busying herself in getting a drink and then settled in the middle of the couch.

"Well, isn't that kind of her? First she saves you from your ex and now this? Methinks she's getting a bit soft in her old age," he commented haughtily.

"That's nothing, she even called me pretty not but ten minutes ago!" Alice replied.

"No!" Jake said scandalously.

"Yes!" Alice affirmed in the same tone.

"And she can hear what both of you are saying and is not impressed," Bella intervened faintly noticing the heat rising to her face, _They're as worse as each other_ she thought to herself as she slouched backwards on the couch.

Unbeknownst to her, Jake had craned an eyebrow at her form, "Wow Alice, she is getting soft, the old Bella would have kicked us both out by now."

Alice was about to agree when Bella again cut in their conversation, "She can still hear you and will revert back to the "old Bella" if you continue."

Letting yet another Bella's display of chivalry go, Alice went to the couch and sat beside said woman, "So, what were the master plans today, had I not butted in?" she asked casually.

Jake noticed the ease in which Alice had settled into Bella's home and the way she interacted with his friend. "You're not butting in, Bella wouldn't have invited you into her home if she didn't like your presence and I've decided that we're going to watch a movie," He replied, making his way towards the stack of DVD's next to the TV.

"What movie?"

"Twilight" Jake said and then watched for Bella's reaction.

At the mention of that particular title, Bella chocked on her drink and glared at her friend who quickly turned around and busied himself by placing the disc in the DVD player.

"I love that movie and the books!" Alice squealed in excitement.

Bella recovered from glaring and then looked at Alice queerly, "Seriously? What do you like about it? The 100 year old vampire with bipolar going after a teenager girl with the personality of a postbox? Or maybe you like the weird love triangle surrounding said doorknob? I've seen better love stories between a car and a fencepost."

Alice craned an eyebrow at the venom of her neighbour's words and Jake took the silence as Alice being offended.

"Dude, chill, it's just fiction," he tried to mollify and then he moved to sit next to Bella.

"Yeah Bella and it's just so romantic," Alice further added, trying to goad Bella into another passionate display of emotion.

"Yeah Bella sooooo romantic," Jake swooned along with Alice.

Bella just resigned herself to sitting back onto the couch, "Fine, but I'm not enjoying this and you can't make me," She said with finality.

"Not asking you to," Alice replied, "Have you read the books?" she asked curiously, subtly trying to justify her neighbour's dismissal.

Bella blanched at the question, she had not only read the books, because funnily enough, she had actually written them.

It started years ago when Bella was just becoming a writer, she had produced a fantasy-romance novel as a joke, just to get her creative momentum going, what she hadn't expected however, was for her partner at the time to send in her novels under a moniker to random publishers. And Bella certainly could never have anticipated that her novel would become an international best seller, much to her chagrin.

Jacob's grin almost split his face; he had always found it exceedingly humorous that his best friend was mortified by the attention of her so called _, shit work that a brain dead squirrel with nuts up its ass could write, _her words, not his. But today, he decided to spare his best friend the agony of a thousand questions.

"Yeah I read them when they first came out years ago," he replied nonchalantly.

"What did you think?" Alice asked.

Jake turned around to face Alice and was about to say how much he loved the series because he would love anything that his best friend wrote; however, as he turned his head, he noticed the glare in his peripherals. As Alice was sitting behind Bella, she couldn't see the non-verbal warnings the brunette was directing at her best friend.

"Errr, I thought the writing was shit, the movie is way better," he said unconvincingly.

Bella just scowled further at Jake and almost opposed his words, for her stories were _her_ pieces of art to shamefully bash, it was like how you're able to verbally demean your own mother, but once anyone else said anything then that person was in for a world of hurt.

"Reallllyyy?" Alice asked sceptically, she had never heard that about the writing before.

"Err yeah, it's a total load of shit the authors writing," he said a bit more confidently, causing Bella to scoff, her friend was terrible at lying.

"It's too bad that the author's never participated in any interviews, on tv or written media's," Alice murmured, completely unaware of the tension between the two friends.

"Yeah real shame, now let's get this over with," Bella intervened, resigning herself to her fate and effectively changing the topic.

They all sat back and watched the opening scenery, Bella tried not to cringe at the use of the word irrevocably, because it seemed that now everyone was using that term, in and out of context, a feat that she never thought possible.

Bella glanced at her watch, _six more hours to go._

* * *

"Oh come the fuck on! What kind of gay vampire would sparkle in the sun?" Bella said in exasperation, she seriously had meant that part to be a joke, no respectful vampire would sparkle, that would be like having a beacon for Federal Agents to come and dissect them.

"I think you just answered your own question there Bella," Alice replied, she had no idea why her neighbour was so against the series, however, it wouldn't be the first, nor the last time anyone would articulate their dislike towards it, so she decided that agreeing to disagree would be the best option. "Though, I do concede with your sentiments, the vampires in this story don't seem very dangerous at all, I much more like the wolves in this."

It was at this comment that Jake decided to straighten up, "What? Why? They're too emotional, they lose their temper easily and you can totally tell that that main guy is on steroids or something, no-one is that buff when they're that young," he exclaimed.

Bella and Alice just gave him a questioning look and stared at his huge muscles that were almost exploding from out of his shirt, "Riiiigggghhhhht, so, you like the vampires?" Bella queried.

Jake smirked, "Of course, they go against what's normal vampire behaviour and I respect them for that and I, for one like the sparkling of vampires. It's like a metaphor or something."

"Metaphor for what?" Bella asked dreading the answer.

"Being gay," he answered without missing a beat, at the confused faces of Alice and Bella, he continued.

"It's like, when you're gay, all your life, you're in the dark, you feel like you're a monster, that you're a terrible person and no matter how hard you try, you're still that person that cringes at your own reflection because you're not "normal". Until, one day and, unfortunately this doesn't happen for everyone but, you decide to snap and be honest with yourself. To be honest with someone that you trust either implicitly or explicitly and then they accept you. And, everything just seems to be that little bit brighter; you become a little bit brighter and maybe, just maybe, you're not a terrible person after all. Because isn't that what we all want to do in the end? To just shine or sparkle for even just a little bit?"

"So, you believe the sparkling of vampires to be a metaphor? Like in True blood?" Alice asked.

"I'm not sure about true blood, I've never seen or read it. But, I'd like to believe that the author is trying to say that it's ok to be yourself and to sometimes wish to be something more." Jacob replied to his audience.

After his little speech Alice saw the young man in a new light, she had always seen immature and flamboyant Jake, never serious and actually has deep thoughts Jake. It was at this moment where Alice understood the relationship between Bella and Jake, she understood why it worked so well, they complimented each other with their different personalities and yet, their passions where within the same vein. It was actually quite a beautiful thing to realize.

Bella however, was not having the same epiphany as Alice and scoffed at her friends words, "Jake, you need to lay off of the coke, I'm sure that that _so_ wasn't what the author was thinking when she put that in." She really hadn't.

"Maybe not consciously" he added with a wink and then settled down.

"Well, if that's the case, then I hope that everything worked out for the author." Alice commented. Bella furrowed her brow, contemplating that remark.

Jake smirked at his best friend, "Here's to hoping."

* * *

"What did she do? Cut a fucking artery? What dipshit cuts an artery on packaging?" Bella yelled at the TV for the hundredth time.

Jake and Alice rolled their eyes at Bella's prejudice against the series; it occurred every time the main male character said something demeaning to his supposed love, every time the leading lady would do something obnoxiously human and whenever the vampires did something that vampires weren't stereotypically meant to do. Which was often.

It was like a movie or TV drinking game whereby, whenever a character does something, a participant takes a shot, however, for Bella; it was take a shot at yelling at the characters.

Alice watched Bella with amusement, she had never seen the other woman so passionate before and it made Alice smile knowing that her neighbour had an emotion other than embarrassment, indifference and immaturity. Albeit, her neighbour's passion lay within her hatred of the current viewing, but this side of Bella made her seem so much more real and it humbled Alice to be privy to such a sight.

After several hours of viewing, the three noticed that the sun had settled and replaced by the high moon.

Jake was the first to stand up and stretch, "I'm going to bed now, I can only take Bella's constant whining for so long, goodnight ladies." he said, he heard their goodnights and smiled before sleepily trudging off to Bella's study room.

Bella turned to Alice and noticed that the smaller woman was almost drifting off into a light slumber.

"You can sleep in my room," Bella announced to Alice, who, in reply just shook her head.

"I-I'm the guest, I…"

"Exactly, which means you get the honour of sleeping on my new, freshly made bed," Bella articulated in a tone that left no room for discussion.

"Thanks Bella, it seems like that's the only thing I say to you," Alice commented, she stood up and allowed Bella to lead the way.

"You're welcome," Bella murmured.

The last thoughts that Alice had before she fell asleep was that firstly, Bella had a very nice smile and that she should use it more often and secondly, Bella's bed didn't smell like her at all.

* * *

The morning sun crept onto Bella's face and it caused her to grunt unattractively.

"Cute when she sleeps isn't she?" she could vaguely hear a deep voice interrupt her.

"Yeah just look at her, cuter than a button," this was more of a high pitched feminine voice.

_This better be a dream,_ she thought to herself before opening her eyes, in doing so, she was met with the towering faces of Jake and Alice, who were both looking like children waking up their mother.

"Seriously guys, why is everyone awake at this time of day?" she groaned, shutting her eyes again, hoping that the visions would go away.

"It's 12.30 in the afternoon Bella and we tried making loud noises so that you would wake up," Jake replied.

It's true, the two took painstaking lengths to make loud noises opening and closing doors, cupboards, letting the water run for a few minutes, turning on the T.V.

"You sleep like the dead honey," she heard Alice giggle.

"I've heard that before," Bella replied.

Jake and Alice after completing their duty to wake Bella up decided to head to the kitchen.

Bella placed an arm over her eyes to blind herself from her surroundings as if it could block out all her sensory perception as well, "Another day, another mourning" she murmured to herself.

"Bella, we need food, now!" She cringed at the loud noise and rubbed her face with her hands.

When she felt somewhat awake, she shook herself from her reverie and then got up.

"Fine, fine, what will it be?" she asked as she drudged into the kitchen.

"The Bella Bonanza! The Bella Bonanza!" Jake exclaimed, it was a breakfast feast that Bella had instigated years ago for special occasions, think a Big Breakfast but with more proportions.

Alice strode to the kettle in order to make Bella coffee, she suspected that the woman couldn't function without it and hoped that it would make her a little bit more agreeable.

Bella noticed this action and appreciated it greatly, it was such a small gesture, but one in which spoke volumes.

"So, what's on for today?" Bella heard Jake ask.

Alice poured the hot water into the cup and smiled inwardly, watching as Bella rolled her eyes at her friend.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**I've been told that I should write an Authors note, I hadn't realised that I should because I'm not a very talkative person by nature. (That and I'm also a newb).**

**Hello! Hope you're all well, thank you for reading, liking, favoring, reviewing and keeping up with the Distance. This story is going to be a slow build so, I hope you like journeys. Also, if you're curious as to how on earth Leah and Rose got together, I have a chapter lined up for it, just let me know if you'd like to witness that.**

* * *

Alice was placing a baking tray into the oven when she heard her cell phone start to ring. When she saw the name of the caller, she took a deep breath and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Victoria," she answered monotone.

"Hello Alice," the caller greeted with a faint smirk that Alice knew was there.

"Can I help you with something?" Alice asked, she looked out the window that stared directly across the road.

"I just wanted to see how you were and see if you wanted to catch up sometime," the voice broke Alice's reverie and, although her ex's suggestion surprised her, she decided to keep calm.

"I'm fine and I'm sorry, but I don't think that that's a good idea," she replied.

"Right, the new girlfriend and how is she? What was her name again?" Victoria drawled out. For a moment, Alice was confused as to who Victoria was referring to, until the façade that was established a few weeks ago at the club dawned on her.

"Bella is fine, she's great in fact, awesome girlfriend she is," Alice answered a bit defensively, she got up from her position on the bench to check the cookies being baked.

"Look, I know that we didn't exactly end on the best of terms…" the voice began.

"You cheated on me for the entire relationship," Alice replied incredulously.

"Now you're splitting hairs," Victoria retorted.

"Are you serious?" Alice asked bewildered.

_Why did I pick up the phone?_ She asked herself, thinking that the conversation wasn't going to end well, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, looked at the cookies and then faintly smiled. She took her position on the bench again and felt ready to see where the discussion was directed.

"Look, I just wanted to call and see how you were, because I honestly cared about you," her ex commented.

"Forgive me, if I don't believe you," Alice replied sarcastically.

"So, you finally found love, is that it?" Her ex questioned condescendingly. Alice decided not to comment, she wasn't the best liar and she refused to give her ex anything more than what she had already taken from Alice.

"I saw the way the two of you were at the bar Alice and I saw the way you were looking at her," ex continued. Alice's brow rose in disbelief, it seemed as though she didn't need to lie, because her ex was inventing stories all by herself.

"You never looked at me like that Alice," she heard faintly. This comment made Alice all the more confused.

"This has nothing to do with you?" Alice replied with a slight inflection. Certainty Alice's love life had nothing to do with Victoria, but there was nothing to discern, hence the confusion. Alice and Bella were just across the road neighbours and sort of friends. Awkward friends, but some semblance of a friendship existed, sort of.

"Perhaps not, but you are a very special woman…"

"Don't," Alice cut in.

"When are you going to wake up and realize that love is an illusion? You try so hard to look for something that very well may not be there, do you honestly think that this woman is the one you've tried so hard to look for?" her ex stated.

Alice thought about her ex's comment, Victoria wasn't a bad person, per say, she was just a shitty girlfriend. A person that Alice had trusted, had let in, and then betrayed. But, Alice couldn't let that experience take away her lingering hope regarding love. Some may find it naïve; Rose had scoffed at her for being so ardent in her explorations and for being so _unwise_ in her life choices. In response, Alice had just smiled lopsidedly and said, 'the way to know life is to love many things.' _(1)_

Alice looked out the window again, noticing that the big red truck was gone, she sank deeper into the kitchen bench.

"I don't know if Bella's the one, but I_ do_ know that you're not. Please don't call me again Victoria, its over," and before she could receive a reply, she hung up.

Alice took a deep breath, she could smell the cookies in the oven, which caused a warmth to spread throughout her that hadn't been there in a while.

_Not long now._

* * *

_~Meanwhile~_

Jake and Bella were hugging each other tightly at the airport¸ it had been months since Bella had moved in and Jake needed to get back home, he had taken all the time he could to ensure that his best friend was settled but it didn't stop how much he thought that he could have done more for her.

"Bye Jake," Bella whispered into his big frame.

"Bye kiddo, if you need anything, please let me know, I'm only a ticket away," Jake said, the promise was there and he meant it too, Bella let him go and hit him on the arm.

"Thanks for everything you big lug, you've been a real big help in more ways than you know," she said affectionately.

Jake looked into his best friends eyes, "Bella Swan, I love who you were, who you are and whoever you will become to be, just remember that," the love laced in his voice for his best friend was palpable and Bella, for the first time in a really long time felt her heart warm.

"Thanks and, tell her I said hi," Bella replied, Jake knew to whom she was referring to and accepted the request.

"I will," he promised.

After a few moments of regarding his friend Jake decided to offer one last piece of advice to his friend. "You know, just because something ended badly, doesn't mean that we should give up."

Bella rolled her eyes; trust Jake to deepen a moment by channelling his inner Yoda.

"We are always told that if we truly love someone, we should let them go, but they never tell you what to do when they don't come back. Don't quote quotes to me Jake; I could kick your arse in a verbal melee," she replied with a smile.

"Conceded," he said and then gave her his own toothy grin.

Just before he was about to turn around, Jake asked Bella something that had been on his mind for a few weeks, "Hey Bells, why didn't you pick Alice's lock when she left her keys inside her house? You used to do it all the time back home." He asked.

True enough, Bella did know how to pick locks, being a daughter of the Chief Police endowed her with such knowledge, but Bella, for the life of her couldn't answer Jake's question. She had actually asked herself the very same thing, multiple times since that day and she had yet to find an answer which satisfied her mind.

"I honestly don't know Jake," she supplied.

Jake thought this answer to be odd, but decided to let it go, "Alright, just take care of her Bella and take care of yourself," with that, Jake turned around and walked away.

Bella watched her best friend walk into the terminal and sighed; she didn't feel right without him but understood that he needed to leave. Admittedly, Jake was very much like her conscience embodied in a beefed up twenty-three year old males form and, she was going to miss him, in fact, she already did.

* * *

"So he's gone home?" Alice dawdled near the frame of Bella's porch with a plate in her hand, she didn't want to go to the departure, seeing as she thought that the two best friends needed their moment.

"Yeah," Bella replied downcast.

There was an obvious difference in her neighbour now that Jake had left; she was more subdued, it was as if Bella was scared to be left alone.

"Are you ok?" Alice asked tentatively.

"Of course I am, he's my annoying best friend," Bella said indifferently, but Alice knew better, she knew that voice carried so much emotion, Bella was going to miss her best friend, hell, Alice even missed Jake and she had only known him for a few months.

She looked at the plate in her hands and made a promise to herself that she would take care of Bella, not as a replacement of Jake, but as a friend that Bella could count on in San Francisco. She took a seat next Bella and tried hard not to mention the other woman's smoking habit.

"I brought over some cookies, as a thank you for rescuing me multiple times and also to cheer you up," she offered meekly.

Bella smiled sadly at the gesture, she was starting to learn of Alice's idiosyncrasies and accepted them for what they were.

"Thanks, they smell um, good," she replied awkwardly, Bella accepted Alice's behaviour; it didn't mean that she knew how to respond to them.

"You're very welcome, the least I could do after all the rescuing that you've been doing," Alice replied, hating the frown which marred her neighbour's features.

"Y-You know, when I first moved here with Rose and Leah, I thought that I was going to have these huge adventures and make tons of friends and maybe even find the love of my life," she began tentatively.

Bella inclined her head upwards and Alice continued.

"I've lived here for two years and have still yet to live any of those things out, but you're the best thing that's come here since I've been here and I'm glad that you're here." Alice almost smacked herself for her cliché words, but Bella was touched by them. Bella wanted so much to dismiss Alice's words as Alice being desperate for something other than monotony, but she decided against it.

"Take my words what for they are Bella, I- I'm glad that I met you," Alice said with the upmost sincerity.

Bella didn't know what to say in reply and she knew that whatever she did say would be inadequate to what was just said. So, she did what was commanded of her, she took the words of what Alice had just said and nodded. She tried hard not to think about her best friend up in the air and thought of where she was at the moment, just sitting next to her neighbour on this sunny San Francisco day, together.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

(1) - I believe that it was Vincent Van Gogh who said something to that affect.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

* * *

Bella walked across the street to her neighbours' porch and knocked on the baby blue door four times, clasping Alice's clean plate in her hand.

When the door opened, she was met with the ever scowling face of Rosalie Cullen, which almost made her want to recoil.

"Who kicked your puppy?" She blurted and then she almost smacked herself, _Idiot, you don't poke the already angry blonde bear._

Rosalie leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms, clearly not amused by her neighbours greeting, however, as it were, she had more important matters at hand, "I'm going to kill Alice if she doesn't stop whining," she admitted.

Bella frowned; surely Rose knew that Alice was a whiner by now "Why?"

The blonde woman gave an exasperated sigh, "She has a date and something about a torn blouse."

At this information, Bella snapped to attention, "Where is she?" she almost demanded.

Rose quirked an eyebrow at the sudden change in demeanour, "In her room," she replied.

Bella sought permission to enter her neighbour's dwellings with her eyes and Rose stepped aside. She took a few steps into the house and then became aware that she had never crossed this line so she turned around for guidance.

"Second door on the left," the blonde instructed.

Bella nodded and then made her way to Alice's door, throwing a quick hello to Leah who was sitting on the couch and safely out of Alice's warpath.

The purple door that greeted Bella made her smirk and for a fleeting second she thought that the colour suited her.

She knocked on the door, "Alice, I'm coming in ok?" And, without waiting for a response, she opened the door and walked inside.

The room was an absolute mess, clothes were strewn everywhere so much so, that Bella didn't know whether Alice had a bed, photos plagued the walls, papers masquerading as carpet and then, there she was. The only living thing that Bella was looking for was sitting on a chair in front of a vanity, holding a blouse and currently giving her a confused look.

"W-What are you doing Bella?" the form asked her.

Bella noticed the state of undress of Alice who was clad in a bra and jeans, but decided to ignore it, "How long until your date?" she asked.

The other woman just glanced at the clock adorning her hall and held the offending clothing tighter, "A-An hour," she replied.

Without hesitation Bella strode toward Alice, snatched the bloused, turned and then walked away.

"Bella, what are you…"

"Just trust me, I'll be back," she said, leaving no room for discussion.

Rose was in the living room quietly talking with Leah when she heard Alice's door slam, she then heard footsteps accompanied by an order.

"Rosalie, help her get ready will you?" the blonde saw the retreating form of her neighbour and, it wasn't until the front door was shut did she decide to go to her sisters room.

* * *

_One Hour Later_

Tanya checked the time again, it was 7.25, she was five minutes early for her date but surely that didn't matter. She fixed her attire once again, for the hundredth time that night and then brought her hand up to rasp on the blue coloured door.

However, before she could bring her knuckles to the wood, she felt a body stand next to her.

"'Sup?" the form said hastily.

And, before she could even glance at the form, the person opened the door, quickly moved inside and then slammed it shut. The entire event took five seconds, but it made her blink twice.

* * *

_Inside_

"Rose, distract the date," Bella ordered, making a beeline towards Alice's room.

When Bella entered again, Alice was still clad in her bra and jeans. She once again ignored her neighbour's state of undress and impeccably applied make up.

"Bella, w-what's…" she was cut off when Bella shoved her blouse in front of her.

"No time, your date is here and if you do not want to give her the wrong impression about us, I suggest that you get in this thing," Bella informed.

Alice regarded the blouse and then her neighbour whose face was currently downcast and turning a bright red. She decided to just heed the brunette's demands and place on what was offered to her.

"So, how do I look?" Alice asked after a few minutes of fluffing.

Bella, who hadn't looked at her once since entering, turned her head up and gaped for a few seconds. So her neighbour was attractive? Come on, as if you haven't appreciated a good-looking female before.

"Fucking breathtaking," Bella whispered in reply.

At this the two stared at each other in awe, Alice, due to the sincerity of her neighbour's words and at how she was able to fix her clothing in the first place and Bella who was asking herself how anyone could look that good in jeans and a blouse. Yes, she had just gotten out of a long term relationship and found people as attractive as spoons, however she could appreciate beauty when she saw it.

She snapped out of her thoughts and then took Alice by the hand, "Come on," she said, effectively breaking the reverie they were in and dragging the other woman through the house.

When they entered the living room Bella let go of Alice's hand, who acted her part and embraced Tanya, her date.

Rose and Leah were standing in the kitchen watching the scene closely.

"So, who are you?" Tanya asked once she regarded the form that ignored her at the door.

Bella looked at Alice and then her date; she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I'm just the neighbour," Bella supplied slowly.

Alice gave her a smile one filled with gratitude and hope for the night; in return the brunette just strode to door and opened it to let the couple go out. When Alice exited Bella made a slight motion to the date, causing Tanya to withdraw for a second.

"You better take care of her," Bella whispered and then closed the door, faintly noticing the way Alice had thanked her with her eyes before they were separated by the blue wooden door.

Bella breathed a deep sigh, lost in her own thoughts, not noticing the steps getting closer towards her.

"So, why _are_ you here?" Rosalie asked after a few moments silence, Bella had never visited them of her own violation; in fact, the brunette had never initiated any sort of contact or communication, especially one that warranted a visit.

Bella snapped out of her thoughts and remembered why she had come in the first place.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I just wanted to give Alice's plate back to her." She replied frowning at her empty hands and Rose spared her an amused glance.

The blonde motioned Bella to follow her into the kitchen and she did so diligently, Leah resumed her position on the couch.

"So, who's this girl Alice is dating?" Bella asked curiously as Rose procured a drink from the fridge.

The blonde sipped her water slowly and then peered at Bella, "I don't even know anymore, a work mate I believe, she always goes out on dates," she replied.

Bella raised an eyebrow at that comment, "Now, by that do you mean…"

"God no, my sister is no slut," Rose almost snapped, the brunette just smirked, "Just making sure the type of person that I'm making neighbours with is all," she said in reply.

The blonde took another sip from her water and Bella was unsure of what she should do now, Rose had just allowed her to stay, however, for what reasons, she couldn't decipher.

"What _does_ Alice do?" Bella asked, only realizing now that she didn't know.

"She's a speech pathologist," the blonde replied factually.

Bella's eyebrows rose, "Seriously?"

In return, Rose gave a fond smile, "As a child Alice had the most terrible stutter and, it wasn't until she was ten after much therapy did she learn to stop."

Bella was quite surprised at the information being handed to her, "I never would have picked that Alice was a stutterer."

"Of course you wouldn't, she was always embarrassed about it and took great pains to make that particular trait go away," Rose replied.

Bella took a few moments to gather her next words, "Is that why she sometimes talks as if she's rehearsed her lines before?"

The blonde nodded her head, approving of her neighbours assessment, "Correct, although, I do believe that is also the way Alice is, she plans everything, from the clothes she wears to the interactions she has with people. It only comes back when she's under high anxiety, though; she usually shies away from people if that is the case."

Bella frowned, she couldn't imagine Alice hiding from people but then, she couldn't imagine the smaller woman stuttering so badly that it warranted therapy. In fact, none of this conversation warranted such an execution to occur, so Bella regarded the blonde carefully.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Alice really likes you," was Rose's immediate reply.

"Isn't that her prerogative to inform me of who she was?" Bella asked, and, much to her bewilderment Rose just smirked, it was a knowing smirk, one that expressed that she was pleased; it was as if the brunette had just unknowingly passed some test. To say that she was a bit baffled would be an understatement.

"I talked to my dad last night," Rose continued, completely ignoring the question, the statement itself however, almost caused Bella to gasp.

"Oh yeah?" Bella tried to muster coolly, even though her heart was palpitating outside of itself. This particular conversation was not for Rose, not for Alice, not for anyone. Not now and maybe not ever.

The blonde nodded her head and watched Bella intently, "He wouldn't tell me anything and neither would Leah."

Bella released the air that she had been holding.

"Your sigh of relief however, says that there's something that needs to be said," Rosalie assessed.

"No, nothing," Bella dismissed.

"Look, I don't know what your connection is with my father, but if he is covering for you then it must not have been that bad," the blonde reasoned.

The blonde noticed her neighbour frowning and it was now that she realized that if her neighbour had any ill intentions toward her little sister, then she probably would have done so by now.

"Just don't hurt Alice," Rose finally said.

In return her neighbour just smiled a sad smile, "I can't promise that," she stood up and pushed her seat in, "I gotta go now, tell Alice I said thanks for the cookies and that I enjoyed them."

Bella bid her neighbours goodnight.

It wasn't until she heard the door close did Leah crane her neck towards the form of her girlfriend. Rose, ever the epitome of a lioness, slowly stalking her way to where Leah was with a sway of her hips.

"Rose, was that really necessary? You almost gave the poor girl a heart attack with your inquisition," Leah asked.

In response, Rose straddled her girlfriend and began to massage the base of Leah's neck, "Of course it was, my sister deserves the best and I was just trying to gauge her reaction to my questions," she replied impishly.

"Yes, those very personal questions and what pray tell does your sister deserve?" Leah asked, at the moment, she was very much enjoying the ministrations on her neck. Rose smirked and bent ever so close.

"Anything her heart desires," she ghosted over Leah's lips.

"And you believe that to be Bella?" Leah inquired; her ability to speak steadily becoming hindered by the angelic touch of her girlfriends very adept fingers and the intimacy.

The blonde gave Leah a knowing smirk, "You know what my heart desires right now?"

Leah knew that her girlfriend was trying to change the topic and by the way the blonde's eyes became hooded and the breath on her lips, who was she to intervene in her lover's life? Especially when it came to Alice, so, like the good girlfriend she was, she played into Rose's ploy.

"What's that?" she husked.

Rose tugged at Leah's collar and her smirk just grew wider.

* * *

Bella was blowing a smoke ring when she noticed a car pull up from across the road. She looked at the occupants carefully and then turned her head when she realized that they were sharing a goodnight kiss.

When she heard the car door slam she inclined her head and instantly noticed Alice's form waving at her with her usual exuberance.

Across the road, Alice had noticed Bella's form outside smoking when they had pulled up in front of her house. Taking her neighbours curiosity as a positive sign, she walked across the street and sat next to her neighbour breathing a contented sigh.

"How was the date?" Bella asked.

"It was something," The smaller woman said, the slight inflection was not lost on either of them.

"Something good or something bad?"

Alice just shrugged her shoulders in response, "I didn't feel it." She simply replied with an innocent shrug of the shoulders.

Bella smirked, "You didn't feel_ it_ or you didn't get felt up?"

The other woman squawked at the comment, "The former you perv."

Her companion just chuckled, "Just making sure."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, just gazing up at the stars and absorbing the quiet atmosphere, it permeated of cliché scenes from coming of age movies.

"How did you fix this anyway? It was ripped," asked Alice, the current clothes she was wearing demonstrated no such wounds in the sleek chiffon and lace.

Bella shrugged, "I used to work in a haberdashery store, you learn to pick up a few things." She replied as nonchalantly as she could.

Alice looked at her neighbours' attire of old sweats and ragged t-shirt, "Seriously?" she asked sceptically.

Bella rolled her eyes, for it had not been the first time someone had the same doubt.

"Yes I know, the girl who wears jeans and a t-shirt from six years ago, worked at a fucking fabric store."

"Seriously? " Alice asked again, the mirth flowing from her voice and then she proceeded to laugh, long and hard.

"Shut up," was Bella's reply and then, infected by the smaller woman's laughter also began to chuckle.

Alice regarded her neighbour's features, she noticed the prominent laugh lines on her stoic face, the way the moon's light reflected on her porcelain skin and the way her eyes twinkled like firebugs dancing to and fro. The woman smiled and decided to voice the thought that had been in her mind since she had noticed the feature, "You know, you should do that more often."

Bella stopped chuckling and regarded her companion, "Do what?"

"Smile."

Bella frowned at that comment; it hadn't occurred to her that she hadn't smiled without precaution with someone in a while, "I, haven't heard that one, usually people are telling me to stop smiling because they find it creepy."

It was Alice's turn to be in frown, "You? Smiling? Really?"

Bella laughed and smacked her neighbours arm, "Yes really you dwarf."

In return the smaller woman just laughed and rubbed her arm, "Hey! No need to get abusive."

She gave Bella a cheesy grin, "Aaaaaand this is where I take my leave, Good night Bella," Alice said and then crossed the road towards her house.

"Goodnight Alice," Bella easily replied.

Alice was in the middle of the road when she heard her neighbour call out her name, causing her to complete a 180 degree pirouette.

"What, what didn't you feel?" Bella asked after a moment's hesitation.

In response, Alice just smiled that smile, one that was full of wistful longing, of hope, of fear, one that was procured from the soul and brought into reality by two ruby painted lips.

"Love" she simply responded.

She turned around and walked into her home without turning back to look at her neighbour.

Bella frowned and reclined in her seat; she stared up at the stars and closed her eyes thinking about the night's turn of events.

_What an odd thing to say _she finally thought with a smile tugging at her lips.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight**

**In case you're interested, I've posted up a Rose+Leah companion piece called Mirages and Memories, it may become a multi-chapter story, depending on Feedback. **

**This chapter explains a lot (but not everything) about Bella. I know it's been slow, but you can finally say, Finally! Some development!**

* * *

"Bella open up! I know you're home, I can see your God awful truck in the driveway!" Screamed Alice.

She banged her neighbour's door with her tiny fist again and didn't even register the pain.

It had been five days since she had last seen her neighbour from across the road, five days since the smoke of her neighbour's cigarettes penetrated her senses, five days since she had heard any sardonic remarks from her neighbour and it had been five days since had actually thought about Bella.

It wasn't until a distressed Jacob Black had called her two hours ago that she had realised any of this and that fact made her feel all the guiltier.

"Bella! Come on! Open up the Goddamn door! We're worried about you…I'm worried about you." Even though she had whispered the last part, it didn't make it any less true. True, Alice didn't frequently make house calls to the woman across the road, but whenever she did, the brunette would open up the door within a few minutes, usually with an unwelcoming quirk of the eyebrow. But now, not even that graced Alice, it was just silence and the small woman had never hated that sound more than anything than that moment.

_Come on Bella, where are you?_

"Bella! If you're not coming out, then I'm coming in!" Alice spoke and with all the strength that she could muster, she used her whole body to slam into the one barrier that stood in between herself and Bella.

BAM!

Yeah, that didn't work.

The door was solid and Alice rubbed her arm gingerly damning her idiotic idea.

She looked around the front of the house hoping that there was another way in and found nothing; she stared hard at the door in front of her and cursed her muggle blood.

Until something inside her clicked, causing her to groan at her own stupidity and almost use her head to try to rear open the door again. She took her hand out and turned the nob, almost crying when she heard the audible click of an unlocked door opening.

It had taken her two hours to step ten inches into her neighbour's threshold.

It was dark, that was first thought that entered her mind, the second _What the fuck?_

She took three steps and saw the form of her neighbour, leaned against the couch, almost lifeless.

Almost.

"What is this?" Alice whispered to herself.

You know sometimes, when you're watching movies, you scream at the protagonist to just call for help in these situations? This was one of those moments, but, there was something in which compelled Alice to step further into the threshold after seeing her neighbour slumped. She wanted to know for herself and that was what made all the difference.

Alice took three eerie footsteps and reached upon the solid form. Her neighbour was before her, slouched against the bottom of her red couch, the only tell-tale sign that she was still alive, was her head sluggishly bobbing to the music and the rising and deflating of her chest. These should have been warning signals and Alice felt a cold sweat run down her spine as she tried to shake off the Resident Evil-esque scenario.

The small woman took a miniscule step towards the figure, "Bella?" she asked tentatively.

Bella's head languidly followed the sound with glazed eyes, "Heyyyyyy," she answered sluggishly.

That one syllable however was enough to completely shake the M. Night Shyamlan feel Alice had.

"Are you- are you drunk?" Alice asked with a confidence she didn't know she possessed.

Bella smiled, she wasn't sure what she was smiling at. The various drinks prior had made sure she didn't feel anything, let alone comprehend the very lovely lady in front of her. Speaking of which, she still had to respond.

"Noooooo," she replied in childish glee.

Alice rolled her eyes at her neighbours antics, the smell of alcohol reeked from Bella's pores and she could see the various bottles strewn around the floor. Alice had never seen her neighbour so, uninhibited. She had never seen her glassy eyes, never saw her slumped shoulders, nor had she seen her neighbour look so, depleted before.

She crouched down and placed a hand on Bellas shoulder, hoping to see a flicker of recognition or coherency within her eyes "Don't lie to me, what's got you like this?" She asked gently.

Bella frowned at the tinkling voice, "Why are you here?" thinking it odd that something so lovely would come to her.

"Jake told me to check on you, you've been ignoring our calls for the past few days," the smaller woman replied.

At the mention of her best friend, Bella just laughed, it was hollow and it caused Alice to shudder.

"Jakie has a snakie, one he likes to shakey," the intoxicated woman sang.

Alice shook her head, knowing that she wasn't going to receive anything but a drunken replies.

"Come on, let's get you up," Alice said, taking a hold of Bella's form. She hoisted the taller woman up by the waist thanking God that those Pilate classes had payed off.

She felt her neighbour's body shaking in amusement and tried not to notice how the curves of Bella's body fit against her own.

"You're so soft and strong," Bella slurred.

Well...

"Bella…" Alice replied warily, she was about to take Bella to her room, when she felt the taller woman recoil.

"No, not the bed, the couch, take me to the couch," Bella pleaded.

Alice slumped the body onto the couch in a sitting position with huff and looked at the form, who was staring through her.

"Why do you always insist upon sleeping on the couch?" she asked.

Bella rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands, hoping to blind herself from everything.

"Because the bed's too big," Bella replied morosely.

"That doesn't make any sense," Alice reasoned.

"I know," was the reply she received.

Alice began to toe the empty bottles littered on the carpet, god damn her neighbour could drink, was this the only thing her neighbour had been doing?

"Have you been drinking like this for the past couple of days? It smells like a brewery in here," Alice asked, stance akimbo, trying to discern why her neighbour was in such an alcoholic stupor.

For the first time, Bella looked at Alice; it was one with watery eyes that the smaller woman didn't know if it was from the alcohol or the obvious depressive state her neighbour was currently in.

"Yes 'mam," Bella replied with a slow nod.

Alice crouched down, eye level to Bella, like an adult comforting a child, she wanted to wrap Bella up in a tight hug and tell her that everything was going to be ok. But she knew that she couldn't, firstly, she didn't think her neighbour would appreciate being touched, well, she never did, but especially now in this state and secondly, she was scared.

She wasn't scared that Bella would hurt her physically, Alice was scared of what she might feel which; a part of her felt was a totally unreasonable fear to have. They had known each other for six months, her neighbour was fun to provoke and Alice trusted the taller woman's opinions when it mattered. But, Alice realized that her neighbour was in her life like a ghost, the way in which she flittered in and out of it on a regular basis. Alice didn't need to be surrounded by Bella to know that she was there; but when her neighbour was there, Alice had this blind faith that Bella was going to be receptive of their relationship, in her own strange and sardonic way.

And Alice liked that about Bella, but, how did Bella feel about Alice?

Alice looked at her drunken neighbour and became petrified because this could be the moment where she found out.

"What's gotten into you Bella?" Alice asked gently, placing a hand on top of Bella's.

"Obviously alcohol," was the retort.

But Alice wasn't having it, "What aren't you telling me?"

_Come on Bella let me help you the way you have helped me countless times. Don't shut me out, please. I care about you._

"Why is it that you assume that this is about you?" Bella snapped and then, for the first time since Alice entering did Bella realize how close they were to each other. She almost winced at her own stupidity for not locking the door or just going away for the week. But, as she looked into the imploring eyes of her neighbour, for a split moment she felt as if she could tell her everything.

But that was just for a split moment.

"I just, there are things I can't tell you," Bella replied.

"Why not?" Alice continued.

Bella almost rolled her eyes at her neighbours constant prodding and the alcohol didn't help either. She wanted to get away and just be alone to wallow in self-pity, she had turned off her phone for a reason after all. Alice had been the first person that Bella had seen in five days and that irked her, she couldn't compare to the clean and untainted woman in front of her. She hated that Alice was seeing her like this; she couldn't deal with Alice being in her house.

"Because, because dammit…" The longer she stared into Alice brown eyes, the more she hated herself, _Stupid fucking perfect face with her stupid fucking caring eyes and just fucking._ Instead of facing her fears, she did what most cornered animals do, she ran.

"Because I don't like you enough to trust you like that," was Bella's response and she hated herself even more for the lie, the moment the words flew out of her mouth she regretted it.

At this, Alice brow shot up, _well that hurt, _she thought to herself. And she couldn't hide the painful expression on her face, Alice tried to justify her neighbour's response, _she's drunk and she doesn't mean it, she's just being unnecessarily cruel_, she thought.

Alice gave a slow nod when her neighbour didn't try to recant her comment, instead looking at her with a mirroring pained expression on her face, Alice then she stood up and walked towards the door.

Drunk Bella however didn't want their interaction to end like this, "Wait, Alice, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, it's just, dammit stop spinning," she pleaded and then promptly fell off the couch in her haste to get to Alice.

Alice was still walking towards the door feeling a lump constrict within her throat, she had just made it to the door, when she heard Bella in just above a whisper.

"Because I miss her dammit," Bella said and slumped to the floor, this is the first time in months that she had admitted such a thing to anyone and it hurt, fuck did it hurt her.

Alice took a deep breath and counted to ten, should she stay or should she go? Fortunately, Bella made the decision for her.

"I miss my wife," Bella finally admitted into the silence and the darkness, hoping, praying and wishing that something would just take her away to anywhere. To a place where feelings didn't exist, where reality isn't a subjective truth but a negated possibility, where there was no such thing as Bella and time and history, present or future, to anywhere but where she currently was and what she was currently feeling.

Alice's eyes widened the statement, _wife?_ She questioned in her mind. And suddenly, small facets of her neighbour clicked into place; the bitterness, the reserved nature, the lost eyes that Alice had always seen. This was definitely not something that the small woman had expected.

"I never knew that you were married," Alice half whispered, still in disbelief.

"Yeah, I was," she heard Bella reply bitterly.

"When did you guys…"

"A year ago today," Bella responded, the memory of separation all too prevalent and painful to remember.

Alice stood there, again not knowing whether to stay or go

"I'm just, so tired Alice, so very fucking tired," Bella said helplessly.

Alice turned around and saw her neighbour staring blankly again, and it was then and there that Alice realised that she had never seen anyone so broken before and it hurt Alice to the core.

And it hurt all the much more because it was Bella.

* * *

Bella rasped the door three times and rubbed the back of her neck, it had been two days since she revealed that she had once been married to her neighbour and she knew that she hadn't exactly been the most welcoming host. Within that time Bella was somehow able to pull her shit together, gather the courage to talk to Alice and finally leave her house, hell, she even bought flowers.

She heard the click of the door open and was ready to face her judgment.

When she heard the door creak open, she snapped to attention and then, she almost swallowed her own tongue.

Alice was wrapped in a tiny towel and Bella had to consciously tell her eyes to not look down at the trinkets of water racing down her body. However, she quickly sobered when she noticed that the smaller woman was now masking her face with a pointed look and leaning against the door frame.

"Do you always answer the door in so little clothing?" Bella asked, thankful that the receptors in her brain could still be working.

Alice folded her arms, "Like the time I first came to your house?" she snarked back.

Bella felt the hostility in the words and instantly felt guilty for being the reason the smaller woman was directing this anger towards her. She sheepishly looked at Alice and held out her arm with the flowers.

"I'm sorry about the other night, I don't remember much of it, but I do know that I wasn't fair on you. I hate to say it Alice, but I don't trust easily, but I shouldn't have shut you off like that, so, I'm sorry." Bella waited for the oncoming backlash, for Alice to yell at her or something that would make her feel vindicated.

Alice looked at the pained expression on her neighbours face and knew that the taller woman was remorseful, she looked at the flowers sadly, "That's not an excuse Bella."

Bella nodded her head, "I know, it's just, hard, I didn't mean what I said, whatever it was I said and I'm sorry that you had to witness any of that I just need you to give me a second chance, please."

At the request Alice's eyes hardened, "Why should I do that Bella? Friendship and trust goes both ways and right now, I don't know if we have one or neither, I don't want to constantly be walking on eggshells around you," she made a move to slam the door but Bella caught it ajar with the flowers.

"Alice, I can't promise you that I won't hurt you, because I will, unconsciously or not, it's bound to happen and you'll probably hurt me too. But, I can promise you that I will try to make up for those times where I have a lapse in judgement, where I'm not being the best that I can be as your friend. That is what I'm doing right now. Please." Bella didn't know why she was pleading for Alice's friendship, she knew it wasn't guilt. Bella knew that she felt _something _for the smaller woman, she couldn't quite articulate what it was, but, she knew that she just need to rectify their relationship.

Bella was a hard ass at the best of times, she was broken, vile, and pessimistic and just the opposite of Alice, but, that didn't mean she enjoyed hurting other people. The word selfish had recently become added to that self-depreciating list and it was because of her actions towards Alice.

"At the moment I'm just a really bitter person who decided to move out to a new place and so far? I'm actually not regretting this decision and I know that a lot of that is because of you." Bella finished.

Those last words broke Alice's resolve and she found herself opening the door wider and take a step closer to Bella and then another and another, until she was hugging her. Bella felt relief and, whilst it scared her, she also knew that she just couldn't let her damn neighbour go.

"I will tell you one day, it's just, I need time," Alice nodded her head and looked up into Bella's eyes again; she hoped that she hadn't made the wrong decision.

Bella looked down and was surprised at the hope shining throughout Alice's eyes.

"Alice I…"

"Heyyyy Babe." Tanya's voice cut the air and Bella and Alice released each other hastily, the moment for pure unaltered honesty was gone, but their friendship remained.

Bella watched as her neighbour embraced Tanya and she looked away to give them a moments privacy. She looked at the beaten flowers in her hands, only noticing now that she had bought Lilies.

When the couple turned their attention to her form still lingering on the front porch, Bella scratched the back of her neck gingerly.

"Well, I best be off," She said awkwardly and then turned to walk away.

When she reached the mailbox, she heard Alice call her name and turned around sharply; the smaller woman ran to her.

"Bella, what were you going to tell me?" Alice asked.

Bella looked at Tanya who was standing in the doorway, arms crossed and staring directly at them; she refocused on her neighbour in front of her and smiled.

"Just, thank you for letting me in again and remember to smile like you mean it." Bella offered and she realised that she had meant it.

Alice nodded her head and smiled.

* * *

**Thank-you for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

* * *

"So Hells Bells, how is it going in San Fran?"

Bella held her phone closer to her ear and relaxed further into the groove of her couch.

"Same shit different day Jake," she replied.

They had been talking for about an hour after Jake had reprimanded Bella for not picking up his calls over the past week, but after much apologizing and a your mum joke directed at Jake, all was right with the two friends. Truth be told, she had missed her best friend and everything that he represented.

"You know, Alice told me about the other night," Jake began, choosing his words carefully and he almost heard Bella roll her eyes.

"Jake, don't start, I know that it was wrong of me to shut her out, but I apologised and…"

"Actually, I was going to say that I'm proud of you, I thought that you were going to be in an almost inconsolable state but then you actually snapped out of it and mended your friendship, all by your lonesome." Jake said cutting her off. He had been unable to get time off of work to visit his best friend and trusted Alice to be there for Bella when he couldn't. It pained him to know that he couldn't always be there physically for her, but his fears were assuaged knowing that Bella's neighbour was there in lieu of himself.

"I _was_ inconsolable Jake, but then Alice kind of snapped me out of it?" Bella replied, not really sure where the topic was going.

"So I heard," Jake commented with a wry smile which made Bella narrow her eyes into the receiver.

"What's going on between you two Bella?" Jake finally asked.

"We're friends," was Bella's immediate reply, a little too quickly Jake noticed.

"Is that all?" He further probed.

Bella couldn't hide her outburst, "Why are you asking me this Jake? Yes we are and she has a girlfriend which you should know, don't think that I don't know that you've been keeping tabs on me." Nope, she didn't like Alice like that at all, not one bit. Her denial however would suggest otherwise.

"Hey I'm just making sure that my best friend isn't still leaving trails of broken hearts wherever she goes," Commented Jake noticing how vehemently his friend had denied the prod to his question.

"And I thought for sure that I hired a cleaner for that," she replied dryly.

"Seriously, is everything ok, between you two?" Jake continued a little more tactfully.

Bella sighed, was everything ok between her and Alice? As friends yeah, they were ok, as something else though? Bella didn't have the strength to even begin to entertain that thought. "Yeah, she's too damn persistent to just leave things be," she finally replied.

"And, by things you mean you?"

Bella sighed into the phone, "She's like this force of nature that I can't stop no matter how much I want her to."

"Do you want her to though? Stop being in your life, I mean."

Bella shook her head, even though she knew Jake couldn't see her, "No, I actually think that she's ok, I don't detest her company."

Jake laughed into the phone effectively breaking the serious mood, "Ha! I leave for a month and you've turned into a pussy, what next Bella? You goin' to start wearing pastel and call yourself Bella the white girl slayer?"

Bella pinched the bridge of her nose at her friend's stupid comment, "Jake, shut up. Firstly Buffy was the epitome of badass, secondly, don't steal your lines from White Chicks and thirdly, you're an idiot."

Jake smiled ruefully into the phone, loving how easily the banter rolled between them, "Yeah, but it got you to smile didn't it?" Bella couldn't deny that.

"And it also got you to stop talking about Alice," he further added.

"Jake," Bella replied warningly.

"Bella, all I'm saying is that you two really click for some weird reason, maybe there's a reason why you just happened to end up right across from the daughter of …"

Bella cut him off before he could finish, "Yeah, I get it, you're saying that its fate or some shit, that I need to let go, that I need to let someone in, even if it's some crazy little devil woman who insists upon being my friend and that I actually like."

A silence erupted and Bella could practically see the gerbil name Assumption running in Jake's mind.

"As a person Jake," she cut in, knowing what her friend was thinking, before he could reply Bella continued, "Alice. She reminds me of her," she whispered and Jake nodded his head in agreement.

When he had first laid eyes upon the small pixie woman, he had thought the same thing. It didn't help that Alice and Bella's ex had a similar personality and for a really long time, Jake was worried that his friend would be constantly reminded of the past with her neighbour. But when he had gotten to know Alice more, he realized the differences and hoped that Bella saw them too, they were two completely different women with one thing in common. Bella.

"It's the eyes," Bella continued, breaking Jake's thoughts, her voice sounded tired, but did not hold the brokenness Jake could usually detect when Bella talked about her ex, "they both have the same open and curious eyes that seem to penetrate the very essence of your being and it scares the hell out me Jake. What if Alice gives up on me too?"

Jake made an unattractive snort, "Bella, I'd slap you if I were there, because that is the dumbest shit that I have ever heard, _she_ didn't give up on you she just moved on," he finished, hoping that his friend would see the stupidity in her comment.

"Same thing Jake, she's not here yelling at me for being a stubborn jackass," Bella said and Jake, bless him, resisted the urge to try and travel through the phone line to choke his best friend for being so dumb.

"That's why you have me, to remind you that you're being a stubborn jackass, like now" he said, "Don't give up on Alice, Bella. I know that she reminds you of her and I know that it must hurt being constantly reminded and I am so sorry that I'm not there Bella, I am so sorry. But, by the way Alice has been taking care of you and from the sound of your voice now, you're doing well, you're a lot stronger than what you give yourself credit for Bella."

"How do you know that this isn't just a façade?" Bella whispered after a moment's silence.

Jake smiled unashamedly, "Because you've been smiling for the past five minutes, I can hear it in your voice Bells."

Bella couldn't help but notice her upturned lips "Jerk," she replied.

"Asshole," he retorted.

"Know-it-all," she continued.

"Don't hate me because you ain't me hoe," Jake said and then he clicked his fingers into the receiver, causing Bella to laugh.

"I love you Bella" Jake said after he sobered.

"I know Jake," Bella replied back fluidly, feeling the tell-tale signs of warmth spreading throughout her and, although it caused her guilt to be feeling such a thing, for the life of her, she couldn't care less.

* * *

_Later~_

"You've been ignoring me again," Alice said as she sauntered towards her neighbour who was in her usual spot under the veranda. She took a seat next to her neighbour, but not before scrunching up her face in distaste at her neighbours smoking habit.

"Yeah, well, I thought that you were preoccupied with…who's the girl you with now Turnip? No, Tennessee? Tanya, it's Tanya right? Oh, I just can't keep track of the people you date or don't date," Bella remarked casuistically, she wasn't trying to be hurtful, if the humour in her voice was any indication. She glanced to the side and saw her neighbour, her clothes where in a bit of disarray and Bella knew why her neighbour was coming home at such a late hour.

"Is somebody doing the walk of shame?" Bella questioned with a scandalous grin.

Alice averted her eyes from Bella and blushed, "No…" She replied impishly.

Bella scoffed, "Don't lie to me." She said and almost laughed the smaller woman's cheeks turning red.

Bella refrained from singing that god-awful song by The Lonely Island. To be honest she didn't really mind that Alice just had sex, not really, ok, maybe it was a little weird. Not in a jealous sort of way, but more an, I don't want to know about my friends sex life type of feeling.

They sat in comfortable silence and Bella almost had to turn her body away from the post coital glow that Alice was exuding from next to her.

"Soooo, what _are_ you doing awake?" Alice asked only now noticing that the time was past one am.

"Sleep eludes me; you should know this by now." Bella answered.

Alice chuckled at this and stared into the night's sky, Bella glanced at her neighbour again and noticed the slight frown marked upon her delicate features, an odd combination Bella thought.

She shifted awkwardly in her seat, garnering Alice's attention, "You err alright?" Bella gruffed out.

Alice in turn, just smiled a brilliant smile, "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, nodding her head for effect.

Bella frowned and grabbed Alice's arm gently, "You sure? We can go inside and talk if you want."

Alice tried not to think about how Bella had actually initiated contact with her, she was also trying not to think about how soft and caring Bella's touch was, "Are you trying to get me into bed?" she asked instead.

Bella gave a half smile and in the best drop your panties voice she replied, "If I wanted you in bed, you'd already be in it."

Alice couldn't help the blush that followed or the following thought _that was hot._

"Fuck you're smooth," was her eloquent reply.

Bella laughed at her neighbours comment, she stood up and stretched, and she may or may not have caught Alice subtly checking her out.

"I know, oh by the way, I'm going to give you something else to wear, just to be comfortable, and, you kind of reek of sin." She said cheekily.

Alice snapped out of her haze, so what if she just had sex with her girlfriend for the first time? her neighbour was hot; sue her for checking her out.

"Don't hate me, because you ain't me," she replied childishly. "Isn't this a bit odd, considering I'm dating someone at the moment?" Alice replied and stood up alongside Bella.

Bella shrugged, but understood what Alice had meant by her comment. This was the first time Bella had actually invited Alice into her home without Jake, they always had their conversations outside, in direct view of the public eye. The last time they had been alone in Bella's house, Bella was drunk so, that didn't really count. It was safer, knowing that at any moment, her neighbour could excuse herself from Bella's company, but inside was different. It was more confined and held unspoken rules, there was no one else to distract them from each other's company, it was just them.

"We're adults Alice, I'm sure that we can be in the same house at 1am at night without any hanky panky going on. And besides, it looks as if you've already had your share of hanky panky tonight," Bella said, fleetingly wondering if her house was clean. Giving a mental nod she opened the door and allowed Alice to walk in first.

"Please stop saying hanky panky," Alice said scrunching her face at the word. She walked over to the couch and waited for her neighbour to take her own position.

Bella plopped onto the far side of the couch and Alice followed suit, tucking her legs beneath herself, leaning her body into the brunette, her head resting upon the others shoulder. She was a snuggler by nature and at the moment didn't care if her neighbour opposed the contact. And although she had just slept with her girlfriend, she didn't want to stay at her house, justifying her departure for having an early start the next day.

Bella sat stone still, with her arm almost glued to her side, she wondered if it was a good idea to invite Alice in; this contact was beginning to ignite the warmth within her and she was acutely aware that it had nothing to do with the body heat Alice was emitting. She looked upwards and said an inward prayer, _God, if you can hear me, please make this stop._ She faced forward and then noticed their reflection in the black tv screen, mocking her, she faced towards the roof again _Thanks, really, _she thought sarcastically.

Alice noticed her neighbour's internal battle with herself and almost laughed at the saucer shaped eyes Bella had.

"Bella?" Alice began, hoping to make Bella think of something other than their close proximity.

"Yeah?"

"What _do_ you do? You don't seem to have a routine and I never see you out, you're just always here," Alice asked curiously. She had only realized now that she didn't know what her neighbour's occupation was, which was a little odd considering that that is usually the first piece of information people discern when meeting.

"I'm a writer, of sorts," Bella replied mysteriously.

"Of sorts? Anything I've read?" Alice asked, noticing that Bella was starting to relax.

"Unfortunately," Bella whispered so low that Alice almost heard, she didn't feel like revealing this bit of information to Alice just yet. It wasn't out of spite, but she didn't want to interrupt the genuine silence and companionship that they had at the moment. Though, she did need to have a discussion with her neighbour about her choice in "reading" material.

Realizing that she hadn't really answered the question, Bella diverged, "I mean, I haven't written anything in a while, I've seemed to have stumbled into a writer's block."

Alice smirked, "Ouch, that must have been some block if that's what happened to your face," she replied and then started giggling.

Bella poked Alice's side earning a squawk, "You've been talking to Jake too much," she stated with a glare. Alice kept laughing; it felt good to banter with Bella, even if it were childish retorts, perhaps it was because she was still basking in post coital glow, perhaps it was because she was running on adrenaline or maybe because it was just so endearingly funny to watch her neighbour get all uppity.

It was one of those nights where you felt invincible, as if the current of the sea and sky blend into one fluid motion but you don't notice. Those nights where you could breathe in and out without precaution and just know that you are protected. Where everything that you have ever done, every thought that has ever formulated from with you doesn't matter, where you don't need to be anything other than what you are in that exact moment in space and time.

"Rose told me that you were a speech pathologist," Bella stated, breaking Alice from her thoughts and trying not to sneeze from the tufts of Alice's hair tickling her nose. Alice nodded her head unsure and sightly alarmed as to what else her dear sister had informed her neighbour.

"You know, I don't care about how you came to be the person you are now, you're something else you know?" Bella said honestly. She wasn't sure where she was going with the conversation; she just thought that something needed to be said in the stillness of the night.

Alice cast a quizzical glance at her neighbour, "I…was that a compliment?" she asked, slightly shifting so that she could see Bella's face.

Bella just rolled her eyes, "Yep, there goes my annual quota of niceness, watch out, I can be as bitchy as I want now."

"Jesus, that wasn't you being bitchy before? The world is doomed," Alice replied sarcastically.

"You shouldn't be worried about the world; you should be worried about yourself. I'll get you little girl," Bella replied, "and your little dog too," she added as an afterthought, which caused Alice to laugh at the Oz reference.

"You're in a good mood tonight," Alice commented when she had sobered and leaned back into her position.

Bella quirked an eyebrow, "Is that an issue? Because I can switch moods if you'd like?" Bella proceeded to dig her chin into her chest and then made an exaggerated serious face, "Is that better?" she asked in a faux deep serious tone.

Alice couldn't help but laugh at her neighbour, "You look like you have a double chin," she said in between laughs.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Bella asked with the same deep tone, not breaking character.

"No, no of course not Shamoo, but are you going to serenade me with a whale song now like in Finding Nemo?" Alice continued, causing Bella to lift her chin and huff indignantly.

"I won't waste my awesome whale singing skills upon the likes of you," Bella replied.

Alice sobered and then leaned back into Bella.

"Sooooo…how was she?" Bella randomly asked, albeit a little saucily.

"It was, nice," Alice commented noncommittally.

"Ouch, that bad huh?" Bella smirked.

The smaller woman just shook her head, "I didn't say that it went badly, there was just no…"

"Let me guess, love?"

"Yeah," was the whispered reply.

Alice had enjoyed her time with her girlfriend and she could feel the muscles in her arms, legs and stomach straining in that delicious burn after an accomplished work out. But something was missing and Alice couldn't quite put her finger on it, did she love Tanya? In her own way she did, but therein laid the complication.

"What is it with you and love, fucking isn't synonymous to love Alice," Bella said, she didn't mean it harshly, it was just a fact.

"I know that Bella," Alice said defensively and then she shrugged her shoulders, "Perhaps it's the hopeless romantic in me or maybe it's my Disney complex, but I just know that I was made to love someone. Do you believe in love at first sight?" she suddenly queried, causing Bella to look down at her.

Bella snorted, "O.k. A, Disney was evil; he prescribed unrealistic expectations onto children regarding love and emphasized the concept of gender roles in society. B, the original written fairy tales were way better. And C, I believe that when we see someone that we think is attractive, our bodies experience physiological changes; pupils dilated, heart palpitation, nervousness and elation. We mistake those symptoms as love at first sight because it is a physical change of the body's status that we feel. So no, I don't believe at love at first sight, I think that society just Jedi Mind tricks us into believing that there is such a thing."

Alice looked at her neighbour "What about those couples that see each other and know that they're going to be together for the rest of their lives and that are together for that period of time?" she contested.

"They're unique, life doesn't always work out that way," Bella said.

"Well, what do you think happens then?" Alice questioned.

Bella scratched the back of her neck and wondered how the conversation escalated so quickly, "Things change. People change. Years go by and you forget that they grow too and then, one day you realize that you're in this time warp where you're in love with that person of the past." Bella theorized, she looked down at Alice and noticed her intense gaze, "I mean, that's what I suppose what happens," she finished quickly.

Alice held her stare at her neighbour for a few moments, resettled and then allowed her neighbours words to linger on her mind. Since knowing that Bella had a wife, well, ex-wife really, she understood her neighbour a bit better. Alice knew that Bella didn't mean to be so gruff or direct, that it was just a manifestation of the events that had happened to Bella. Alice had watched enough soap t.v shows to know that separation can make people bitter.

Alice found a strange sense of circumstance looking at Bella's separation on the whole, in relation to same sex marriage. It had been decades since the queer, social or whatever you wanted to call it, movement had advocated for the legalisation of same sex marriage and in some states that right had been permitted. But then, there has never been or at least not much coverage of the, what happens in the event of same sex separation? It was an interesting concept to think about and Alice couldn't help but be intrigued as she was witnessing it across from her very house.

"Bella?" Alice asked gently.

"Mmm," Bella answered knowing what the gentleness in Alice's tone meant; _I bet she's going to ask a really personal question, _she hypothesized.

"How did you know that your ex was the one at the time?" At the glance Alice received she quickly supplied a, "You don't have to answer."

Bella almost congratulated her call, but she shook her head and understood her neighbours caution towards her,"No, it's ok; it's just…who said that it was just a onetime thing?"

"You mean you still?"

Bella nodded, knowing that Alice could feel the movement, "I think that there's always going to be a part of me that will always love her and care about her, no matter if I end up with someone new, you know? Loving someone is something more than just a feeling, it's like, everything that you do, every thought that you have permeates because of them, they come before everything else and it is because of them that you can finally breathe. As corny as it sounds, before my wife, I used to see things in black and white, but now, I see things in technicolour and a big part of that was because of her."

"Why did you guys end?," Alice asked, feeling more comfortable talking to Bella.

"She left me," was the automatic reply.

"I'm so sor"

"Don't, it wasn't your fault," Bella cut off and Alice nodded.

Bella blew a sigh, she wasn't sure if she was relieved or just tired from re-hashing old memories. She loved her wife, was still in love with her and, no matter how many times she had tried to listen to the saved messages on her phone, to listen to _her_ voice, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Bella was hanging by a thread and hearing her ex-wife's voice would cut whatever remaining sanity that she had. Because if she did, then the separation, the distance, everything, would just be so much more real.

"You're going to find someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved," Alice commented, noticing how deep in thought her neighbour was.

Bella gave Alice a half smile hoping that the black tv screen would project it, "It's not about being deserving or not Alice, it just simply is, in all its radical and gratuitous splendour. And I don't know if I'm ready for another relationship you know?" Alice smiled knowing that Bella wasn't shutting her out.

"Have you seriously not been in love before?" Bella queried.

Alice shook her head, "Not to the point where I'd consider actually marry them, no. But, as a child, I just knew that there would be someone for me, I just know that I was made for someone."

Bella nodded her head. Did she understand Alice's words? Not fully, not in their entirety. Bella had found her one, but even before that, she just believed that love was something that you gained upon your own merit. She didn't believe in fate or a higher order that determined your destiny, perhaps that was the control freak inside her. But, when Alice penetrated Bella's life, she came in so gaily that it deconstructed everything. Bella probably wouldn't ever be able to capture or fully understand Alice, she knew that. But then, maybe that was the point of their relationship.

Alice smiled, "Thank you Bella for telling me about her."

In return, her neighbour just shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, there's only so much whining that my mind can take at, fuck, its 4am in the morning now?"

At this Alice just giggled, "Yep, perfect night for long talks and fogged breathes."

Bella thought the comment strange, but then, she realized who she was talking to. "I guess it is," She said after a moment and then leaned back into the couch with droopy eyes.

* * *

_The Next Day~_

Bella awoke with a start, an empty space and a post it note on her forehead. She took it gingerly and rubbed her forehead.

_Bella, thank you for last night, I hope to find the love that you and your wife once shared. Had to go home and prepare for the day, see you later. Alice Xx. _

Bella almost rolled her eyes, of course the smaller woman could portray unabashed excitement in few words and a brightly coloured paper. She chuckled, there were worse ways to wake up she thought.

Bella was about to get up when she felt her ass vibrate, well, more like the phone inside her pocket that was under her ass vibrate. She furrowed her brow and thought it odd that someone was calling her, as Jake had work now. She looked at her phone, vaguely noticing the 7 missed calls from an unidentified number and picked up.

"Hello?," she answered wearily, only to be surprised by the erratic voice of Rosalie Cullen.

**"**Bella, Are you at home?" She practically demanded.

Bella nodded her head, even though Rose couldn't see her, "Yeah, why? What's wrong?"

"You need to get to Alice now," Rose answered.

"What's…"

"Just do it," Rose yelled.

And that was all it took, Bella dropped the phone and ran across the road, with every bit of desperation a parent would show their injured child.

She twisted the doorknob, and was relieved to find it opened; she made her way to Alice's room where she could hear faint sobbing.

She knocked three times and when she didn't receive an answer, she walked inside.

There before her, sitting on her freshly made bed was Alice Cullen, slumped over with her elbows on her knees crying, bawling her eyes out. Bella had never seen Alice look so small, so broken and it inexplicably hurt her to the very core of her being.

Bella walked in front of her, like a tamer approaching a tiger and crouched down eye level, capturing Alice's attention, but if only for a brief moment.

"Alice, what's."

"Sh-she g-g-g-," Alice began and then she started hiccupping and breathing heavily. Bella knew what was going to happen or, what was happening. Alice was having a panic attack.

She drew in a deep breath and stared directly into the other woman's eyes, desperately hoping that they conveyed the compassion that she felt for Alice.

"Alice, I need you to breath, I need you to take deep breaths right now and listen to me ok?" She said slowly and then took a seat next to the hyperventilating form.

"I-I-I…" Alice tried to begin again.

"Just listen," Bella cut firmly and then she started conjoining words together, "A chicken and an egg are lying in bed. The chicken is leaning against the headboard smoking a cigarette, with a satisfied smile on its face. The egg, looking a bit pissed off, grabs the sheet, rolls over and says, "Well, I guess we finally answered _that _question." Bella said.

_What am I doing? _She asked herself, she wasn't accustomed to calming people down, that was more of Jake's speciality, so, she just started with the first stupid thing that came into her head to keep on talking, to make Alice think of anything else but what she was hyperventilating about. Alice was just staring at her as if contemplating if she had actually said that joke, still hiccupping, but the waterfall tears were gone. Taking that as a postive sign, Bella continued to channel her inner lame dad jokes.

"An old man goes to the doctor for his yearly physical, his wife is tagging along. When the doctor enters the examination room, he tells the old man, 'I need a urine sample, a stool sample and a sperm sample.' The old man, being hard of hearing looks at his wife and yells, 'What? What did he say? What does he want?' His wife yells back, 'He needs your underwear!'"

Bella scrunched up her face; even she thought that that was a little low crass for her tastes. Bella was about to begin another one, but then Alice had calmed to the point of being able to breathe normally again and took Bella's hand.

"T-t-those were t-t-errible," Alice commented with a few sniffles.

"I may be a writer, but nothing is ever original anymore," Bella replied wryly, "What happened?" she asked cautiously.

Alice closed her eyes and could feel the tears prickling in the back of her eyes, causing her body to shudder, but it stopped when she felt a hand squeeze her own.

"Take your time, take a deep breath, everything is going to be ok and then tell me what happened," she heard Bella whisper.

Alice took a few deep breathes and then opened her eyes to look into the brown ones staring at her own, "My grandmother Cynthia died last night," she replied.

And with that, she began to cry all over again, she barely registered the two arms wrapping around her or being cradled like a child.

"I didn't get to say good bye to her," she said remorsefully.

Bella nodded her head in understanding, not wanting to apologise, not yet, because once someone said, _I'm sorry,_ that was the moment you knew that there was nothing anyone could do to make it better. That was the moment where everything was real and where you knew that no amount of apologies could fix death. So, she sat there with Alice and didn't let go until the other woman had calmed and was making random patterns on her thigh.

"Come to the funeral with me?" She heard Alice whisper. The patterns stopped and Alice lifted her head to look at Bella again, it was a plea and Bella knew it. She couldn't say no to those eyes and she wouldn't.

"Of course," Bella replied, entirely forgetting that her promise meant going back to Forks, Washington.

* * *

**Thank-you for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**I really enjoyed everyones theory/ies, in regards to Bella and her deal with Dr. Cullen as well what happened to her wife. I wish that I had more chapters lined up to keep you all guessing but, everything will be revealed in the next two chapters. I never meant for this story to be long, hence why everything may seem so fast paced. One day I might go back and fix it up to make it better, but for now, C'est la vie.**

**Stay tuned and thank you to all the favs, reviews, follows and so on.**

* * *

_~A few days later_

The airport was just as Bella remembered since she had left Forks nine months ago, small, freedom giving and empty, save for the man and woman who she knew to be Mr and Mrs Cullen.

After realizing she was to head back to Forks, Bella almost punched herself in the face for hopes of a concussion. But, when she kept on seeing the down trodden face of her little neighbour, she knew that she couldn't let the other woman go by herself, to face her grief alone, especially when she had specifically asked Bella to come with her. Rosalie, from what Bella could discern, had also been distraught from the passing of her grandmother, she looked so wound up and Leah looked so tired. Rosalie had Leah for support and, in hindsight; Bella would have assumed that Alice would ask her girlfriend Tanya to come with her. So, why the smaller woman had asked Bella, she was unsure, but she wasn't going to question it. Not now.

Alice let go of Bella's hand for the first time in two hours and Bella was glad to get some feeling back in the appendage. She saw the smaller woman race to Mr and Mrs Cullen, giving them both a bear hug. She glanced over at Rose, who was staring at her intensely, as if to gauge her reaction to the meeting that was about to take place. Bella looked away from the interrogating eyes and slowly walked up to the family. As soon as she saw Alice's father, she was brought back into a memory that happened so long ago. A surge of emotions welled up inside her and it took everything within herself to not get knocked back.

"Dad, mom, this is Bella, she's our across the road neighbour in San Francisco," Alice beamed, like a child who was introducing their playmate to their parents.

Bella looked at Mr. Cullen, _he looks more tired since the last time I saw him, but then, I suppose death does that, s_he thought to herself. She saw the doctors eyes widen for just a fraction and just knew that he remembered her.

She took the lead and extended her arm, that was a conversation for another day, "Hi, um sir, pleasure to meet you, I'm sorry that we aren't meeting under better circumstances."

The doctor nodded his head in silent understanding and then took her hand gently into his own, "You also Ms. Swan, call me Carlisle," he replied. It had always amazed Bella that the man could always hold such integrity and inner strength, qualities that she knew, she herself didn't possess.

Rose watched the scene intently, how did her father know that Bella's last name was Swan?

* * *

After introductions were made, the six adults crammed into the Cullen's car and drove home.

"So Bella, how are you enjoying the raining town of Forks?" Esme asked , despite her pain she was able to care for other people, this was a trait that Bella had instantly learned and respected the older woman for.

Bella had been staring out the window and knew that the Cullen residence was about 15 minutes away.

"It feels strange to be back," she murmured without thinking. She saw another large cloud in the dark sky and just knew that it was going to rain, she really hadn't missed the dreary weather.

Bella felt a slight shift next to her and started to panic when she had realised what she had just said.

"You used to live here?" Alice asked, confusion written all over her face.

_Well, no use denying anything now, _Bella thought to herself, she nodded her head, "Many years ago, I lived here for like a year and a bit, but then I moved for College and just haven't really returned since, you might even know my dad, Charlie Swan," she replied, hoping to not get a severe backlash.

At this there was a bout of recognition in Alice's eyes, "Chief Charlie Swan? Wait, _you're_ his daughter? As in, Isabella? The home schooled kid?"

Bella winced at the title; she had never liked being known by other mainstream students as _"the home schooled kid"_.

"Yeah," she replied.

Alice continued staring at Bella, she was hurt and she couldn't understand why. Did Bella lie to her? Not really, as Alice had never asked where Bella had come from. Was it a lie by omission? She wasn't sure. Clearly, Bella knew who _she_ was, if the fearful look she was giving Alice was any indication.

"I just, never knew," Alice settled with and then sat straight, looking forward again.

Bella knew what this meant, they were going to have a serious talk later, "There's a lot you don't know," she replied.

"It seems so," Alice commented ending the conversation.

Rose and Leah just looked at each other as if waiting for a storm.

* * *

As soon as the four women stepped out of the car, they saw a huge man run towards them, Rose and Alice braced themselves for the oncoming bone crushing bear hug by the man.

The man embraced his two sisters and lifted them up from the ground.

"Emmett!" The girls squealed in surprise at being abruptly picked up.

"I missed you Squirt and Barbie Doll," The man named Emmett replied. Bella look at the man cautiously, from what she could see, he was just as big as Jake and had the same air of cheekiness to match.

"Em, don't call us that! And let us down," Rose replied, smacking him on the back.

"Honey, let your sisters down, they were just up in the air, I don't think that they appreciate being there again," a voice called.

Emmett turned around and saw his wife giving him a reprimanding look, causing him to give the girls in his arms one last squeeze and then let them down.

"Well, I think Squirt and Barbie suits you both so well," he replied haughtily and then, for the first time noticed the other two women that had accompanied his sisters.

"Yo Leah, good to see you again man," he said fist bumping her and then he gaged Bella, "Emmett Cullen, nice to meet you," he introduced, taking out his hand.

Bella studied the hand carefully as if the man was going to snap it back and say, _Too slow, _because that was what Jake would do, but the genuine look of curiosity in his eyes made her take his hand.

"Bella," she replied.

Emmett furrowed his brow for a second, "Bella, Belly-Button, Bella Bear, Stella Bella, Bella a Great Fella," he started saying. In return the brunette wasn't sure at what to do, so she just let the scene proceed.

Emmett was quiet for a few moments in thought before something clicked in his mind, "You will be known as Bella Bear," he said with unabashed pride. In response Bella continued to stare, not really knowing what to say or how to react to what had just occurred. And, it was especially awkward because the man still hadn't let go of her hand.

The large male tilted his head to the side and looked at the features of the woman in front of him, "You look really familiar, have I seen you somewhere before?" he asked her curiously. The brunette was about to reply when suddenly the voice of Dr. Cullen called out for his son.

With a final glance and nod, Emmett let go of Bella's hand and then proceeded to help out his parents in getting the girl's suitcases inside the house.

_Dafaque just happened? _Bella asked herself, faintly wondering if the past minute was a delusion. She felt a hand on her arm and somehow knew that it was Alice ushering her inside.

"Kate this is Bella, Bella, this is Kate, Emmett's wife," Alice introduced.

Bella shook from her daze and looked at the blonde woman in front of her, she wasn't as beautiful as Rose, but then, not many people were.

"Hello," Bella said dumbly.

Kate smiled, "Hello Bella, you're going to have to excuse my husband, he christens everyone with a nickname when he first meets him, he believes it helps to remember people's names." She explained for her husband, Bella could see the maternalistic nature within the woman; she was nice and calm, the opposite of her husband.

In return, Bella just nodded, "Wait, how about Leah? He called her by her name."

Kate started chuckling, "He had tried to give her the name Leah the Great Eater, but was terribly embarrassed to what the name could insinuate, so he's called her Leah and only Leah ever since."

Bella smirked, yeah, the guy was definitely like Jake.

"Why don't you familiarise Bella with the house Alice? I have some things I need to discuss with Rose. It was nice meeting you Bella," Kate said and then greeted her sister in law.

Alice and Bella walked further into the house and Bella couldn't help but be amazed at the depth of it. It was a large, spacious manor, but it felt like a home.

"You ok?" Alice asked, hoping that the woman wasn't freaking out with all the new faces. She knew that Bella was a bit socially awkward and didn't much like being surrounded by people, least of all strangers.

The brunette in return just smiled at the thoughtfulness, "Yeah, Emmett caught me a little by surprise, but, he reminds me of Jake so, I think that I'll be able to handle him."

Her companion giggled and was relieved that the other woman wasn't going to run away, "He's the goofy one of the family, all of us are pretty much sane in comparison," she replied with endearment.

Bella's smile grew, she didn't have siblings so she couldn't empathize but, from the intonation of Alice's voice regarding her family, she knew that the smaller woman loved them. It was nice to see. "He may be the goofy one of the family, but at least he isn't the goofy looking one," she replied whilst pointedly looking at Alice.

This earned a playful shove, which caused the taller woman to lose her balance and face plant into the door which joined the hall into the kitchen. Bella felt the pain in her nose first and instantly clasped it, hoping that there wouldn't be any blood.

She heard raucous laughter and knew that it was Alice, "Oh my God, Bella, I'm so sorry, are you ok?" Alice said in between breathes of air.

Bella looked at her hand and was grateful that she didn't see any blood, she looked at Alice who was still keeled over in laughter and scowled, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up you evil little fairy," she muttered.

"You are the only person I know that could turn a playful shove into a full make out session with the door," Alice said somewhat sobering. She noticed the glare still directed at her so she walked up to Bella, placed her hands on either side of her neighbours face and then lifted herself up to be nose level.

_Blue_, that was all Bella saw in her line of vision, she was a little miffed that Alice had laughed on her account, but then, she probably would have done the same. However, she had not expected the smaller woman to get so close to her, she wasn't just in Bella's personal bubble, she was filling it. She felt Alice's breath wisp past her face and faintly noticed the familiar smell of cherry and honey.

"No blood, no damage," she heard, saw and felt Alice whisper. Bella was about to respond when she heard someone clear their throat. This caused both of the woman's heads to snap at the sound and finally notice the two males sitting at the dining table, just watching them.

Alice immediately let go of Bella and Bella took a step back as if to prove a point, both women began to blush for reasons unknown. Alice was the first to recover and then ran towards the two men at the table.

"Edward! Jaz!" She greeted them excitedly, as if the past minute didn't happen.

Bella stood in the doorway a little awkwardly, not only because of what had just happened, but because of the semi family reunion that was taking place between the siblings. As if reading her mind, Alice looked at her and smiled, "Bella, these are the bane of my existence, my brother Edward and my best Forks friend Jasper."

Bella took this as a cue to intrude on the reunion and as she got closer, both the boys stood up.

"Hello," "Pleasure" the boys greeted formally, whilst appraising her form.

"This is Bella, my across the road neighbour," Alice continued, Bella was half surprised that she hadn't added, _And Charlie Swan's home school kid._

"You brought a girl home?" Jasper asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

"She came for comfort," Alice replied as if daring him to challenge her, but her best friend just let it go.

"Of course," he placated. Bella felt incredibly awkward and tired, as the hours filled with meeting new people was beginning to take its toll on her.

"Bella, Alice has told me a lot about you, it' good to finally put such a befitting face to your beautiful name," Edward said with a grin.

The brunette was slightly confused by this and misinterpreted Edwards grin and words as an act of charm, so, instead of receiving the compliment with tact, she blurted out the first words that came to her mind.

"I'm gay," she announced.

The grin whipped itself off of Edward's face followed by surprise at the proclamation; he had only meant to be polite. The two just stared at each other for a split second until Edward started laughing, causing the other siblings to erupt in laughter as well. Bella, for the hundredth time that day, had no idea what was happening.

"Bella, Ed didn't mean anything by that, he's gay with Jasper," Alice explained.

Bella made an O shape with her mouth and started to blush, to which Alice just looked on with endearment. It was definitely a good idea to ask Bella to come with her, she still felt grief over the passing of her grandmother, but with the brunette's support, she felt that she was going to be ok.

Edward looked over at his little sister and noticed the way she was staring at Bella, he felt a hand tug on his own and looked at Jasper, who just gave him a slow nod.

"Welcome to the family Bella," Edward said, ignoring the glance that Alice sent them.

Alice was surprised by her brother's words, this was the first time that her protective older brother had accepted one of her friends upon first meeting, usually, the initiation took many trials and tribulations. It was because her older siblings maintained that Alice was the youngest girl, therefore, she needed the most protection and, where she did find it cute upon her first few years living with the Cullen's, it made it extremely difficult for her to date during her teenage years. Alice moving out to San Francisco only exacerbated their worries but, as she had moved out with Rose, they weren't overtly worried. So, for her brothers to instantly accept Bella warmed Alice greatly, this momentary happiness however, was cut short by Emmett bursting into the kitchen.

"Come on guys! We're going to go get something to eat," he boomed.

Esme followed after her wayward son, "I'm sorry I didn't prepare anything earlier, but we still have some things to sort out for the funeral," she apologized to the cohort.

Alice walked up to her mother and gave her a comforting hug, "It's ok mom, we understand, give us a call if you or dad need anything ok?"

At this, the matriarch smiled tearfully, "Of course, it's so good to have my baby's home," she said wistfully.

"Mom, we're in our late-twenties and early thirties, we're hardly babies anymore," Edward objected.

"Regardless, I changed most of your diapers thank you very much, looking at you all now just, your Gammy Cyn would be so proud of you all," tears were gathering around Esme's eyes, but she felt the small grip on her get tighter.

"Mom," whispered Alice, but in return, the eldest woman just shook her head.

"Go, I'll be fine, Carlisle is here," she ushered her children out the door and continued the preparations for the upcoming funeral.

Everyone, barring Esme and Carlisle walked towards where the cars were situated, each were in their own thoughts, until Emmett looked up at Bella.

"Hey Bella Bear?" He said, garnering her attention.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Bella quirked an eyebrow and shook her head in the negative, "No, why?"

Emmett's forehead scrunched in confusion, "You nose is all red."

This comment caused Alice, Jasper and Edward to simultaneously burst into a fit of giggles. Bella looked at the siblings who were laughing at her so openly and although, she may have felt embarrassed, for the life of her, couldn't care less.

* * *

The group made their way to a diner which the Cullen kids used to frequent as teenagers, when they entered the establishment, they had looked at it in awe, as it was still the tiny draughty place from their memories all those years ago. Since high school, each of them had moved on from Forks, to different cities, leaving their parents behind in search of their own adventures and life, in doing so, a wave of nostalgia hit each of them.

They were greeted at the door by a young waitress who they weren't familiar with, "Wow, huge clan today, let me see, eight of you, I think we have a table that can seat all of you in the middle here, feel free to move around some chairs if there aren't enough. When you're ready to place your order just give me a yell." The teenage girl said, she seemed to be about 17 and seemed very excitable.

Each person took a seat and made themselves as comfortable as possible being seated so close to each other. The table that the waitress had showed was large, but not that spacious, it was going to be difficult eating without hitting each other's elbows.

"Nice place," Bella commented, taking in the serene atmosphere, there weren't any other customers about and, by memory, she hadn't ever visited this particular diner before.

"Hey Eddy, didn't you work here one summer back in the day?" Emmett asked suddenly, whilst subtly adjusting himself in the small seat.

Edward glared daggers at his older brother, "Shut up Em," he said through gritted teeth. He could feel the heat rising to his face and noticed that Jasper's was as equally enflamed.

"You did too! You got fired, that's how you and Jasper got together! I had forgotten all about that!" Alice exclaimed.

Leah quirked an eyebrow at this, "Ok, now you have to tell us the story," she said, very much interested. She had always known Jasper and Edward to be together, but had never actually known how they had established their relationship.

Edward and Jasper just looked everywhere except the group so Emmett decided to take the reins, "Right, so, Eddy boy here was working one summer when he was fifteen and served Jasper who had just moved into Forks with his folks. And by serve, I mean, he _served_ Jasper all right," he ended with a smirk and wink.

The table erupted in laughter, whilst Jasper and Edward blushed, "You don't have to make it sound as if we had sex Em," Jasper barely managed to get out.

"Dude, you were caught in the bathroom making out, same thing," Emmett replied.

"Man, you're smooth Edward, I would have pegged you as a, make terrible conversation with lots of back and forth emotions and then chastely make love, type of guy," Leah commented to the usually brooding male. She didn't really know Edward but knew enough to characterize him as a generally pensive and pessimistic individual.

Before Edward could comment, Jasper entwined his hand with his partners and smiled, "My Edward is a complete gentleman who knows how to get what he wants," he replied looking into Edwards eyes.

Leah grinned at the couple next to her, "O.k, even I have to admit that that was kind of cute," she said, she felt a familiar hand on her thigh and knew that it was Rose just desiring contact.

Alice smiled at the entire scene, it wasn't often that they were all together like this, her family with their partners, but she was enjoying it immensely. One day, she knew that she would have a partner as well to join in with the family. She had only dated Tanya for a few months but, whether or not the small woman believed that she was family material was a different story. She looked over at Bella who was sitting next to her, the brunette surprisingly seemed at ease with her everyone and that caused her to grin wider, for now, she had Bella, so she really couldn't complain.

"Sooooo, Bella Bear, what do you do for a living?" Emmett probed after they had all ordered their meals.

"I'm a writer," she answered drumming her knees with her fingers, she was still nervous but sitting in between Alice and Emmett assuaged her a little.

"Really? Anything I've read?" the large man asked.

"Mostly young adult fiction that's a real load of shit," she answered honestly causing Alice to almost smack her in disapproval. Although the smaller woman still didn't know what her neighbour had written, she was trying to get Bella to not be so negative about herself, after all, that's what friends do.

"Hey man, as long as it isn't anything like that Twilight series, I think you're sweet," Emmett said, clapping the back of Bella's seat and then started laughing. In return, Bella fought everything within herself to not crawl into a hole and die.

After he had stopped laughing, Bella thought it best to stray away from the topic of her occupation, "And yourself?" she asked conversationally.

"I'm a psychiatrist," Emmett replied fluidly.

To say that Bella was shocked would be an understatement; she looked at the childish man again with a quirk of an eyebrow, but then caught herself and put up her straight face, hoping that she wasn't caught out for being rude.

The entire table however, had caught her facial expressions and started laughing, "Yeah, that's the look I always get whenever I say that," Emmett replied with a laugh, he wasn't offended, he loved gaging people's reactions.

The laughter died down and their meals arrived in the nick of time and everyone engaged in their own conversations. However, at one point during the meal, Bella had felt Edwards intense gazing on her.

So, she decided to look at him with a quirk of an eyebrow.

"Sorry Bella, but it's been bugging me this entire time, do I know you from somewhere?" Edward asked sheepishly.

Bella didn't really know how to answer that, she didn't know how much the occupants of the table knew of her and she didn't really feel like explaining anything for the time being, she was just content in eating.

However, she didn't have to as Alice replied for her, "Bella used to live in Forks, she's Charlie Swan's daughter."

At this, Edward's eyes widened in recognition, "Wait, _you're_ Isabella Swan?" he asked in disbelief.

"The one and only," Bella replied noncommittally.

"You were the kid that came to live with Charlie in the last year of high school. Weren't you home schooled or something?" Emmett asked joining in on the conversation.

"Yeah," Bella affirmed.

As a child she had always lived with her mother until her last year of high school when her mother married another man who travelled a lot. In doing so, for stability's sake, it was decided that Bella would be best living with her father. At first, Bella was a little miffed that her mother couldn't wait one year, but she understood that the man she was marrying needed to move around and she believed that the man was good for her mother. So, she compromised and stipulated that she would move without a fuss if she was allowed to be home schooled. In honesty, it was one of the best decisions she could have made, she loved her father in all his simplicity and strength, if she hadn't been made to move in with him, she would never have known the man that he was. She missed him, she needed to visit him.

Bella felt a hand on her own underneath the table and looked up, Alice had sensed that the brunette was lost in thought as she tended to do and was silently asking if she was ok.

The brunette nodded her head and then looked back at Emmett, "I guess, I just couldn't be bothered moving to a new town, finishing high school and making friends, so, I decided to be home schooled instead," she finished, whilst squeezing Alice's hand in return.

Alice smiled at the reciprocation, "Jeez Bella, hoity toity much?" she joked.

Bella turned her head towards the smaller woman in incredulity, "You're calling me hoity toity, Miss. Soy late double shot extra hot with two sprinkles of cinnamon?" she retorted.

The two women had happened by chance, to meet at a café one day in San Francisco and the brunette had overheard Alice's coffee order. When she did, her jaw almost hit the floor at the absurdly complicated order, Alice however, had just looked at the brunette with a quizzical face and a _what? _

Alice rolled her eyes, "There is nothing wrong with ordering the right coffee, everyone's different."

"Alice, I've seen mathematical equations for astronomy less complicated than your order," her neighbour replied with a laugh, causing the smaller woman to huff indignantly and mutter, "Philistine."

By now, the two had garnered the attention of the entire table at their amusing antics. Emmett smirked at his little sister, "Wow Alley cat, looks like you've met your match," he commented with a wink.

Before either woman could reply, Edward cut in, "That's why you're so familiar Bella, I almost ran you over with my car once, you were chasing squirrels or something."

Bella forgot her little quarrel with Alice and looked at Edward with a quirk of the eyebrow, "Actually, I was chasing my dog and by memory, you were too busy checking yourself out in the mirror to notice a teenage girl on the road."

Edward had the audacity to look embarressed, whilst Emmett burst out laughing, "Dude that totally sounds like something you'd do."

Alice looked at her brothers, Rose and Leah and then frowned, "Does everyone here know about you?" she asked Bella.

"Not really," the brunette replied. She was unsure where that question had come from, out of everyone at the table, Alice knew Bella the most, the others either knew about her passingly or through the vine.

Emmett rubbed the stubble of his chin, "Yeah come on Squirt, you've basically lived with Bella Bear for the past nine months or so I've heard, surely you've got some dirt on her."

Alice frowned and thought about something that she could say about Bella, something that only she knew. She thought about their interactions from the past nine months and realized that there wasn't really an in between that was neutral and yet interesting. For example, it would probably be inappropriate for her to relay that Bella had soft lips that tasted like cherry lip gloss or that the brunette had an ex-wife. On the other hand, it would probably be mundane for Alice to stipulate that Bella couldn't function without coffee in the mornings, that she doesn't like the feel of beds, that, when she is in deep in thought three crease lines appear on her forehead, that the woman walks as if there were music always playing in her mind at all times, that Bella notices and observes everything, even if she doesn't know it. Alice knew the big things and the little things about Bella, but she realized that she didn't really _know_ how her quirks developed, heck; she didn't even know what Bella's favourite colour was.

Before she could reply a voice cut into the atmosphere, "Well, if it isn't the Cullen Kids, all reunited together again," everyone's head whipped towards the voice. It belonged to an older woman of mid 50's with blonde hair who adorned the same waitress uniform who had greeted them.

Emmett welcomed the stranger with an inviting grin, "Jane, how are you? It's been a while since we've all been here again to torment you."

The woman looked at the table and cocked her hip, "Indeed it has, we're still cleaning the graffiti off of our tables Mr. Emmett. But look at you all, all grown up, such handsome men and women you all turned out to be. How are the folks?" she asked.

"Mom and dad are well, same old same old," the eldest Cullen son replied.

"And your Gammy Cyn? Is she still raising hell and giving your parents strife?" Jane asked with a wink.

At the mention of Gammy Cyn the entire table seemed to recoil from the woman, everyone momentarily looked down suddenly remembering why they had all returned to Forks in the first place.

"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you this, but Gammy Cyn passed away last week," Emmett replied sincerely.

Jane was shocked at the news, "Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry to hear that," she sat down needing a moment to process.

Emmett stood up and bent eye level to Jane; although they weren't particularly close, she had known the family since they were teenagers. "She had a heart attack," he informed her gently, placing his hands into hers.

"Oh my," she replied not really knowing what to do or say but feeling the tell-tale signs of tears desperately seeking release.

Emmett smiled softly, "It's ok, she was probably just having too much fun and her poor little heart couldn't take it, so, not a bad way to go. The funeral's in two days, if you'd like to come."

Jane nodded her head, sniffed her tears away and then patted Emmett's hands, "I'll definitely consider it, she was an amazing woman and I am so sorry to hear about her passing, if any of you need anything, you let us folks know ok?" she stated.

She stood up, causing the larger man to do the same, "Of course, thank you for you condolences," Emmett finished with a nod. The waitress took one last look at the table and then walked away, a little worse for wear.

A silence fell on the table, the death of their grandma still fresh in their minds and their pain resurfacing.

Emmett rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand and then sighed, "Come on, let's go."

He stood up and paid for the bill with everyone silently following suit, holding onto their partners for comfort and support, with Alice and Bella mirroring their actions.

* * *

_Later that night~_

There was a melancholy atmosphere in the kitchen, ever since the interaction with Jane at the diner all the Cullen children had stayed quiet and were currently staring at the dining table in their own thoughts. Bella played with the hem of her jumper sleeves; she didn't know how to comfort someone, let alone a room full of people. So, she thought back on the times when she had lost someone, the motions in which she had endured and what she would've wanted in that instance.

"You know…" Bella started unsurely, this was the first time in an hour someone had spoken and she felt several pairs of eyes on her form which almost silenced her next words.

She looked up at the Cullen kids and smiled, "I remember when my grandmother used to be alive, she had quite the affinity towards alcohol, so one day she got really _really_ drunk, climbed up onto the table with her dress over her head and her cane in one arm screaming, "THE CHARLIES WILL NEVER GET ME!"

She saw a few smiles on the Cullen's' faces and, taking it as a positive sign, continued, "She'd never been to a war in her life," she finished. At this comment, there were chuckles from each of the occupants at the table and Bella couldn't help but smile.

It was a sincere memory, one in which she would hold forever, one of the better times when her grandmother was lucid yet not at the same time. She missed her grandmother and smiled in remembrance of the woman who had graced her life as a child.

There was a silence that continued for a few moments until Emmett took a swig from his beer bottle and smirked.

"Hey Rose, remember when Gammy Cyn caught you drunk and smoking when you were sixteen?" He asked Rose, but at the same time addressing the table.

The oldest Cullen daughter cracked a reluctant smile and let the past event wash through her.

"God, yes, don't remind me, Em," she replied.

The Cullen kids remembered the event clearly and started to chuckle, however the outsiders of the group looked at Rose and urged her to continue.

Rose rolled her eyes and relented, "She made me smoke a whole packet of cigarettes in her own version of aversion therapy."

Edward was trying to keep the laughter from exploding his face, so he settled for covering his mouth with his right hand.

"You remember what she was saying the whole time?" he asked, the barely contained mirth not lost on anyone.

Rose palmed her face and shook her head in embarrassment, "She was waving incense in my face screaming; 'the Power of Christ compels you!'"

With this one sentence, the table erupted in laughter, all the tension from the upcoming funeral, the sombre atmosphere, their parents sadness and their own pains were washed away in an instant and replaced by heartfelt laughter from this one woman who used to be alive.

"She just did that for effect." Emmett guffawed and Rose just smiled.

"It worked too, haven't smoked since." She commented with a wave of her hand.

Edward was the first to recover from his laughter and recounted another memory that possessed his mind.

"Hey Alice, do you remember the time when you were eight and she caught you in her wedding dress?" He asked with excitement.

Alice cringed at the memory, "I was so scared that she would've yelled at me."

Edward smirked, "Remember what she did instead?"

The small woman just blanched, "She insisted that we have a mock wedding and that I be married to Miss Angela my favourite ragdoll."

The entire table once again laughed at the memory as each of the Cullen kids were attendees at the mock wedding, each had a special role to play that day and it was then that they remembered how welcoming and loving their Grandmother was. Regardless of the fact that most were not biologically related, each and every one of them had a special memory with her, each had a beautiful relationship with their Gammy Cyn.

Something in Alice clicked at the memory.

"She totally knew I was a lesbian!" She exclaimed, for she remembered how insistent her grandmother was that she should marry Ms Angela as opposed to Big Ted.

Emmett winked, "She even had a bet going with mom and dad." He articulated in true big brother hazing, to which Alice gave him a smack on the arm.

She folded her arms and pouted, "That is so typical of Gammy Cyn."

The Cullen kids could only laugh and agree, because it was true, it was just like their Grandmother to place bets on her grandchildren.

Jasper perked up at the thought of another memory,

"Emmett, remember when she dared you to…"

Bella looked up at Alice and was glad that she had made the small woman smile, Alice smiled at her and mouthed a grateful 'thank you,' to which Bella nodded.

And that is how the night continued until the early hours of the morning; each Cullen kid had a story of their own to tell and the rest couldn't help but just laugh at all the past antics that were being professed.

It wasn't until 3am when such alcohol had been consumed and stories told, that each person was allocated a shot of whiskey. And, every one of them drank in memory of Gammy Cyn because, as Emmett proudly articulated, "She was our Gammy and she was full of fucking Sin."

Cheers.

* * *

**Thank-you for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Alright, here we go. ****Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favored, liked and messaged me, I really do appreciate it.**

* * *

Bella wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. _Just do it you wimp, _She encouraged herself. She stared at the door and noticed that the timber was loosening in its grip, _He's going to need to fix that in a few years._ She thought and then berated herself for trying to prolong her next conversation with inane thoughts.

She brought her fist up to the door, knocked three times and then listened intently for the occupants reply.

She heard shuffling and then slow steps making their way towards the door, the door that she was currently hiding behind.

It opened to reveal a surprised Dr. Carlisle Cullen, however his shock was only momentary and he stepped aside, "Bella, please come in, I apologise for the mess but being a doctor you have to be aware of the latest research."

He shut the door and made his way to sit behind his large oak desk, Bella sat down at the chair in front of it. She couldn't help but notice the vast artwork by children plastered on the walls and she internally smiled, for without them, the room would just be another generic study room.

"I understand, nice office by the way," she commented.

"Thank you," Carlisle replied.

An awkward silence ensured and Bella didn't know where to begin, perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to disturb a man before his mother in law's funeral. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to come at all.

"Is there something that I may help you with?" Carlisle prompted when he noticed the internal battle within Bella. He said it curiously, not minding that she had sought him out, after all, this was a long overdue talk.

Bella snapped out of her thoughts and saw the compassion in the man's eyes which caused her to panic, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I guess that I just wanted to say that, I'm sorry that I'm punched you the last time we met," she all but blurted out.

Carlisle quirked his brow at the abruptness but sobered quickly, "I, it's ok Bella, I understand and I am so very sorry for…" he began.

"I know, at least, I think I understand the whole, human need to apologise for something that isn't their fault thing," Bella smiled at him gingerly and he accepted her apology. Before he could respond, Bella continued, "I don't blame you, I don't think that I ever did, it's just, I needed someone to blame, I know that you did the best that you could."

It was hard for Bella to accept this, she felt guilty for placing unwarranted blame onto the doctor.

Carlisle furrowed his brow, he knew why she had been so rash, but that hadn't quelled the guilt that he felt, not until now. "Thank you, I never blamed you for what occurred that night and where I cannot possibly understand what you went through or what you are going through now, please be assured that you may talk to me or anyone, if you should so desire." Carlisle replied, he understood her plight and he couldn't help but smile, he could definitely see why his daughter had clutched on to her neighbour. Carlisle looked at the brunette in odd fascination, from what he could see, she was a silent contemplator, one that was fierce in her vocations and he couldn't help but feel relieved at his youngest daughter's choice in friends.

_So that's where Alice gets her strange vernacular from_, Bella thought to herself. She had noticed that sometimes Alice would speak in a very formal pattern; it had never occurred to her that she had learnt it from someone. Alice was just Alice to Bella; just a woman who had brazenly entered her life without warning and without warrant and now, months later, here Bella was, inside the woman's father's office, learning about her, about her life, what she experienced as a child growing up. It made Alice so much more real.

"So, you and my daughter," he interrupted.

"Yes," Bella said without hesitation.

He quirked an eyebrow and Bella blushed.

"No, not like that, I mean, we're friends, she's dating someone else," she tried to acquiesce.

Carlisle let a chuckle escape his lips, his daughter was correct, Bella was quite endearing he thought, "Bella, it's ok; I know how friendly my daughter is."

Bella nodded her head slowly and then looked out the window, "I…trust her and it's been a very long time since I've done that," she admitted, not knowing if she wanted the doctor to hear her.

"Trusted someone?" Carlisle inquired.

"And just, been friends with someone," it amazed Bella how quickly Alice had entered her life, one moment she wasn't there and the next, she was a constant.

"Are you going to tell her?" The Doctor asked, Bella understood what he was referring to and knew what she had to.

"I should," Bella promised.

Carlisle nodded his head, "Perhaps you should. Alice, as you've probably gathered is a very bold person but, you should never underestimate her capacity to care or love."

Bella almost rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I'm quite aware how adamant and demanding she is when it comes to love."

The Doctor just smiled patiently, "No, she doesn't demand love, she just hopes for it. And although she is more risqué than others in trying to obtain it, I can imagine that it may be quite confrontational to some." Bella unattractively snorted and nodded her head in full agreement; Alice was quite ostentatious in her urges.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow at the sudden display, "Has she ever told you how she was adopted into the family?" he asked her suddenly.

Bella shook her head, "She once told me that she was adopted after her parents died."

"Yes, that is correct, but did she inform you why we decided to adopt her?" Again, the brunette shook her head.

Carlisle leaned back into his chair and smiled fondly as he retold the story of his youngest daughter, "Esme volunteers at the local orphanage here in Forks whenever she can and it was on a particular day that she saw Alice or rather, Alice saw her. They made the usual child adult conversation and then Esme left for the day. She was on her way home when she heard shuffling in the backseat. Fearing of what it may be, she pulled onto the side of the road and when she looked back, there was little Alice crouched on the floor. When Esme asked 'Why did you come with me?' Alice simply replied, 'Because you're going to love me and I'm going to love you.'

He finished the story and without waiting for the other woman's response, he continued, "Now, one may think that Alice was being demanding and perhaps even arrogant in her prediction, however, I digress, Alice put her complete faith into someone she had met just once, she didn't ask to be adopted, she didn't ask to be taken back, all she gave was her blind faith."

Bella had her brow furrowed the entire time thinking about what she had just been told but from the look on her face Carlisle knew that she understood, "That is the type of person my daughter is, has and always will be. She places her heart to where it doesn't belong so that it does."

Something within Bella clicked, causing her to look at the doctor with a new found awe, "It's not that she wants to be loved, it's that she needs _to_ love."

Carlisle smiled at her assessment, "Exactly."

* * *

_~The Next Day._

The funeral had been a sombre affair and Bella was amazed at the life Gammy Cynthia had lead in her 94 years. She heard the eulogy's of each Cullen and couldn't help but feel warmed by their words. There were tears, there were laughs and it was beautiful. Alice hadn't let go of Bella the entire time, not that she minded, because she knew that the smaller woman just needed to be grounded at that moment in time. She needed an anchor in her time of grief and Bella understood that.

It wasn't until after the burial did Bella let go of Alice because there was something that she needed to do. The brunette spoke some quiet words to Leah who just nodded and then followed the Cullen cohort back to their house for the wake.

Bella walked deeper into the cemetery, a thousand thoughts racing through her head. She didn't look where she was going, she didn't need to, because she used to take the same route every single day until she had moved from Forks. She reached her destination, and sighed, she had encountered de ja vu several times today and it was beginning to take a toll.

"Hey," she greeted the lone tombstone, holding back the tears that she knew were going to fall anyway.

* * *

_Later that night~_

Bella opened and then closed the door to the Cullen residence at 11pm, silently thanking Leah for leaving it unlocked. She rubbed her face and made her way towards the foldout couch that had been set up for her. She didn't want to use the guest room because that would mean sleeping in a bed and she certainly couldn't bring herself to sleep in Alice's childhood room, with Alice.

She had just entered the blocked off room, taking her coat off and then turned on the light when, she almost had a heart attack at Alice Cullen sitting on the couch. Her legs were crossed with her arms folded and she did not look pleased at all.

"Hey Alice," Bella greeted, worn and spent, but recognising that she was in the shit.

Alice stared at the woman in front of her and recognised the tiredness that she knew was reflected in her own eyes.

She softened her features and decided to not give Bella such a hard time, "What happened today Bella?" she asked gently.

Bella sighed and took a seat next to Alice, slightly relieved that it wasn't going to be World War Three.

"I'm sorry about today, it's just, there was something I needed to do by myself, I'm sorry that I didn't let you know and that I was going to stay out, but, I didn't want to disturb you," Bella explained sincerely.

Alice nodded her head but didn't fully understanding, she took Bella's hand in her own and realized that she wasn't angry, she couldn't really be. Firstly, she was emotionally exhausted by the days that had conspired and secondly, she knew that although the relationship with her neighbour was like a pendulum, she had hope that Bella would one day be open to her. Alice frowned for a moment and in the back of her mind, she questioned that if it had been anyone else other than Bella, would she have been so understanding? She decided not to think about it for the moment.

"Bella, these past couple of days have been tough and I thank you so much for being here. But, I've recently realized that I don't really know anything about you. I didn't know that you lived here before, I don't know what's happened to you and I don't know how everyone else seems to know about your past or about you except me. I'm not demanding that you tell me everything right at this second but, I hope that, within time you will. Like you, I don't care who you were before you moved to San Francisco, because I love the person that moved across the street from me," Alice articulated, her words weren't in spite or anger, it was just a gentle prod to remind her neighbour that it's ok to be open and the smaller woman had believed that it was best to just lay everything out on the table.

Bella looked at Alice, it felt so strange to have someone willing to try and it jarred her. She knew that Alice had meant that she loved her as a friend, but that deep connection, that intimacy that came with it terrified her. To know that someone cared so affluently about her petrified her but, Bella could see the honesty and fragility in Alice's eyes and knew that the smaller woman was just as scared.

Bella smiled and then just decided to bite the bullet, "My favourite colour is purple and my favourite movie is Love Acutally, however, if you repeat any of those things, I will deny it vehemently and call you a filthy liar. When I was a kid, my childhood dream was becoming a Postwoman, because I love the concept of secret hand written letters being delivered for the eyes of one person. I don't trust easily, as you've probably gathered, but when I do, I do it with my entire heart. My favourite food is lasagne, the best book there is, is anything by Neil Gaiman, I was one year away from completing a visual arts degree, but thought against it because I'm really really crap at drawing. I am the author of that god-awful Twilight series, I only wrote it as a joke however, my wife sent it in under a moniker and then a publisher picked it up, talk about dumb luck right? And, although I can't remember much of my childhood, the one thing I can remember is when I went fishing with my father, they were the best nights of my life." After her little speech, Bella blew out a sigh.

Alice on the other hand just stared at Bella in odd fascination, as her neighbour had revealed such personal information which she was currently trying to dissect in her mind. She gazed at Bella's uncertain face that looked as if it were waiting to be appraised but in return Alice just smiled.

"You're favourite colour is purple?" Alice asked in all seriousness.

Bella smacked her head with the palm of her hand, "Out of all the things you picked up on."

Alice giggled and then hugged Bella, something had now changed between them, she couldn't stipulate what it was, but she could feel it and it felt good.

"We still need to talk about what you just told me, you _cannot_ just say that you're the author of one of my favourite books and not have me question you," Alice commented.

Bella rolled her eyes playfully, "I knew that story was going to come and bite me in the ass, well, more so than it already has."

After Alice let go, she sat back against the couch and held Bella's hand. The brunette stared at their conjoined hands for a few moments and took in the scene; she looked at Alice and saw how at peace the other woman seemed to be.

Then, without warning or proper thought, Bella gave a deep sigh, swallowed the lump in her throat and then said something that neither of them was expecting, "I'm ready to show you."

Alice's eyebrows rose at what her neighbour had said, but before she could comment, Bella intervened, scared that she might lose her courage, "There are a lot of things that I don't like confronting, but I feel that if you're there, then it should be ok. So, I want, no, I need to you to meet my wife," she finished.

After her momentary shock the smaller woman snapped out of it, "I have to admit Bella, out of all the scenarios tonight, I wasn't expecting that. Are you sure?" she asked.

The brunette couldn't trust her words at that moment so just nodded her head; Alice saw the battle within Bella and, where she was dying of curiosity, she decided against provoking her neighbour into taking back her intentions, "We're not going to stalk her are we?" she asked instead.

Bella shook out of her thoughts and fear to give a half-hearted smile, "No, you demonstrated how inept you are at being a peeping tom," she joked, causing the smaller woman to just roll her eyes.

"It's nothing like that, she should know that we're coming," Bella said.

"Again with the mystery," Alice commented coyly.

Bella leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes; it was good to have a friend, "It should all be clear tomorrow."

Alice mirrored Bella's movements for a few seconds until something dawned on her, "What do I wear?" she asked with childish glee.

Bella rolled her eyes "Whatever you feel comfortable in," she answered. Bella made a commitment and she was going to go through with it, she had to and she knew that she could, especially with Alice around. It didn't require a justification and even if you had asked her why the sudden change of heart, she really wouldn't be able to tell you.

Alice regarded her neighbour thoughtfully and decided to be honest, seeing as it was the motif for the night, "Bella, I became speech pathologist because I used to have a stutter," she began.

Bella opened her eyes and looked at her neighbour, "Yeah, Rose told me."

In response Alice just smiled, "Did she also tell you that I stopped because when I was in hospital after my parents died, a little girl with brunette hair read _The Little Matchstick Girl_ to me? She visited because her dad was always away doing important things for the town and she had time readily to spend and her name was Isabella." Alice smiled at the memory and Bella was stunned.

Bella had the faintest recollection of reading to kids within Forks hospital with her father when she was younger. She used to do that sometimes in the hospital when her father needed to take her with him and, she just somehow always managed to find herself in the children's wards, she was young, curious, bored, liked to read and there were kids her age there.

_No fucking way, _Bella thought to herself.

Alice's smile grew when she saw the look of disbelief on her neighbour's face, "She had the most eloquent speech that I desired and a passion for reading that I couldn't share at the time, not until I went to therapy," she further explained.

"Why did you tell me that?" Bella whispered.

"I just wanted to share my story with you Bella," Alice glanced at her neighbour's brunette hair and smiled, flashes of an oversized hospital bed, a yellow book and two small children together flashed behind her eyes. Alice had wanted to keep that memory to herself for the rest of her life, like a treasure that no one else could touch, but looking at the woman who meant so much to Alice, she decided against it. Some things, like memories were just too beautiful to be kept in the dark and studied from afar. That day had only occurred once and, even if Bella had forgotten, it was an event in which had helped shaped the beginning of Alice's life.

* * *

_~The Next Day._

Bella had asked the previous night if she could borrow Esme's car to drive them to meet her ex-wife. She started the car with shaking hands and drew deep breathes; Alice noticed her friends trepidation and entwined their hands together.

"It's going to be ok Bella," She said gently, Bella nodded her head and actually believed her neighbours words.

Their destination wasn't very far and it was filled with companionable silence, there was no music pumping through the speakers, they were just comfortable to sit with each other.

When they reached the familiar driveway Alice furrowed her eyebrows.

"Bella, this is the cemetery," she needlessly articulated.

Bella turned off the engine, sighed and then looked at Alice sadly.

"Yeah, I know," she replied.

They walked to the tombstone side by side and each step closer was like a loud staccato to Bella's body, whilst to Alice, everything seemed to fall into place at that moment.

They reached a lone grey stone and let go of each other's hands, Bella looked at her companion and Alice gave an encouraging smile. The taller woman regarded the tombstone and berated herself for not bringing flowers, "Hey honey," Bella started, her voice raw.

Alice stood a respectful distance from her neighbour and regarded the grey tombstone.

_Ashley Arnold-Swan_

_21/02/1985 – 01/06/2013._

_She Lived._

Alice thought the epitaph to be a little strange, but then, perhaps its simplicity was the point. Bella's wife had _lived_ and perhaps that life was so grand that mere words couldn't contain it. Alice didn't know anything about the woman who belonged to the tombstone, admittedly, Alice had thought that Bella's wife was still _alive_ and they had divorced. Bella had always used the word separation or ex or wife to describe her estranged partner and she never corrected Alice when she had used the same terms. Her neighbour had never actually stipulated that her wife was deceased, so Alice had just assumed. Oh how wrong she was.

Alice broke from her musings when she heard Bella talking, "I want you to meet someone honey, this is Alice, the woman that I told you about yesterday."

Bella turned around and motioned for the smaller woman to come closer, "Alice, this is Ashley, my wife," she introduced.

Alice stepped up gracefully and gave her best first impression smile, "Hi Ashley, it's nice to meet you, you know, you did really good with Bella, she's a wonderful woman." Said woman tried not to blush at the words but continued listening; things were going well thus far.

"Bella hasn't told me much about you, so, if you could give her a little bit of encouragement please? I would be much appreciative," Alice finished, stepped backward and then unconsciously held Bella's hand.

They two women stood there side by side, just thinking about life and death for a few moments.

_I promise to take care of her, _Alice pledged in her mind hand she meant it too.

"I miss her so much," Bella whispered and Alice squeezed her hand tighter. This had been the first time that Bella had visited her wife without crying, she had come a long way she knew that and hoped that wherever her wife was, that she was proud of her.

* * *

They were walking back to the car when Alice asked Bella something that had been on her mind since she saw her father and her neighbour greet each other at the airport.

"You know Carlisle don't you?" Alice asked.

Bella nodded her head and grimaced slightly, "Funny story actually…"

…

**Flashback~**

"I'm sorry, but we did everything that we could, there was just too much to take out and…"

"No! No, you go back in there and you bring her back to me, you bring her back to me right now," Bella exclaimed to the blonde doctor. This wasn't happening, this man wasn't in front of her informing her that her wife had just, that she's now…she couldn't even dare think of the word.

Dr. Cullen looked at her with sympathy, "Mrs. Swan, I'm sorry, there's nothing more that we could do, there was just…"

Bella didn't even think twice when she hit the doctor; she wanted this man to shut up about her wife. Her wife was not going anywhere, they still had a life to live out together, they made promises, they made vows and this man was taking all of those moments away from them. Bella felt her future, her hopes and her dreams get stripped from her and it hurt. God damn did it hurt.

She felt her body being embraced by strong arms, but instead of the usual security they brought, they constricted her, she just wanted to run.

"Bella! Bella, what's going on? Why did you punch Dr. Cullen?" She heard her father's voice, it used to be so strong, so comforting.

She fell into the arms of her father like when she used to as a child, "He's taking her away from me dad, tell him that they can't have her, tell them that she's not ready yet, I can't, she can't be gone yet. It's not fair, we were supposed to have more time. I promised to protect her, I said that I would, I failed dad, I didn't…" she couldn't finish her sentence, she could feel the lump in her throat and the tears threatening to spill, but she couldn't break, not yet. Maybe there was more time, if she could just get the doctor back into the room to do _something._ _Why the fuck is he just standing here?_ She asked to herself.

"Mrs. Swan, Bella, we did everything we could, but there was too much to take out and the blood loss," Carlisle said regretfully, his eye was throbbing but he couldn't just leave the grieving woman without explanation, his compassion won out and he wanted to be there for her, even if it meant shouldering the blame.

Bella's eyes hardened at the embodiment of Death before her, "No, you're the best goddamn doctor on this side of the U.S, that's why we're back here, you do your fucking job right now and you do it right," she demanded.

"Bella…" Her father tried to intervene.

"No. No they can't fucking have her, she's not allowed to leave, you have to bring her back to me. _Please,_" Bella begged.

The two men looked at the woman tearing apart in front of them, the last thought that Bella had before she passed out and was reborn in the reality named Haze was, _This isn't happening._

...

_Present Day~_

Alice sat in the car in shock, "I remember that, Esme told me that Carlisle was jarred for days, he wouldn't tell any of us how he got that black eye," she recounted. It had been the first and only time she had ever seen her father so shaken from a patient and, from what she had heard from her mother, he had holed himself in his room for days muttering to himself about a being better doctor.

Bella nodded her head, still guilty from the encounter, "Yeah, I apologized to him last night."

She started the car ignition, "Come on, there's someone else that I want you to meet," she said and then drove towards a new destination and, with every mile; she felt her heart become lighter.

* * *

They walked towards the small cottage sized house hand in hand and stopped when the front door opened, revealing a very perplexed older male in police uniform.

"Bells?" the man asked, unsure if what he was witnessing was an illusion.

"Hey dad," Bella greeted, before she could say more, the older man rushed up to his daughter and gave her a tight hug.

Bella wrapped her arms around her father and squeezed tightly, loving the warmth and the smell of crisp rainforest on him, it had been too long since she had seen him and talked to him.

Charlie hugged his daughter, he had missed her and he was so worried about her after the death of Ashley. They had talked on the phone, but not often enough and it took him everything from within himself to not move right with his daughter to protect her.

"You're home," he said needlessly.

"Just for a few days," Bella commented.

He stood arm's length away from his daughter and really looked at her. She looked better than when she had left, she had a bit more colour to her and, she looked less weighed down. Charlie peered to the side and noticed a smaller woman with his daughter, he felt his father senses pique and he fought the urge to usher Bella behind him.

"I missed you," Bella said honestly, breaking Charlie's intense gazing.

"Yeah me too," he replied and then rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

"Who's your friend?" He eventually asked.

Alice stepped forward and took out her hand, "Alice Cullen sir," she answered confidently.

Charlie took her hand, "Alice Cullen? Carlisle's daughter? I heard about your grandmother and I'm sorry, she was a wonderful woman," he replied, having met gammy Cyn a few times out and about in Forks. Charlie noticed that the small woman had a strong handshake, even though he knew that she was nervous.

"Thank you sir," Alice beamed upon hearing the nice words about her Gammy.

Charlie nodded, then looked at his daughter and was surprised to see the softness in her face at watching them. He looked at the small Cullen again and, from his keen sense of observation just knew that Bella's change had something to do with Alice, in doing so, instantly earned a great appreciation from him.

"You know, I met you once when you were younger, you grew up to be quite a beautiful woman. Careful, my daughter may snatch you away into the night," he said with a mischievous smirk.

"Daaaaaddd!" Bella whined causing Alice to giggle.

Charlie just put up his hands in a placating manner, "I'm just warning the poor girl, she probably doesn't even know that your favorite story is Alice in Wonderland," at this, there was steam pouring out of Bella's ears.

Alice appreciated the Chief of Forks trying to make a positive introduction with her and decided to play along with his silliness, "Really Bella? Is that why we're friends? Because you only like me for my name and my obnoxiously good looks?" she added with faux hurt.

The target of their taunts just blushed, "See what you started dad?" Bella huffed indignantly.

Charlie chuckled and decided that he liked Alice, it felt good to laugh with (or at) his daughter again. "Ok ok! Let's put the kettle on and you can fill me in as to how far the rabbit hole you are with your house." Bella rolled her eyes at her father's words¸ he could be so embarrassing sometimes, but then, that was how he showed his affections and why she loved him.

"Home, dad, the place in San Fran, is now my home," the brunette corrected.

Charlie stopped walking towards the house and regarded his daughter, "This will always be your home Bella," he looked at Alice, who gave him a raised eyebrow, "but I suppose that there are always concessions," he winked.

Bella was confused at her father's words but for some reason, Alice she blushed.

The two women walked hand in hand into the house and didn't let go until they returned back to the car to return to the Cullen residence.

* * *

Alice looked out the window, just watching the nature pass by her, Charlie lived half an hour away from her childhood home, but she still found it odd that she had never actually run into Bella. She liked the Chief; he was welcoming, warm and had the same flare for awkwardness that his daughter possessed, it humbled her to know where her neighbour had learned her traits from.

She looked at her neighbour who was staring out into the road ahead, "Bella?" she asked, causing the other woman to answer with a hum.

"Last week, when we were talking about love and how people change in relationships after a while, you were talking about Charlie and your mom weren't you?" Alice asked.

Bella nodded her head, "Yeah, they divorced when I was six, but I still visited Charlie every so often, not a lot, but enough to understand that people change and why it happens sometimes. Why do you ask?"

Alice shook her head as things started to make sense about the woman, Bella had skirted around the topic of her wife for a while. And if Alice were being completely honest, it completely confused her, one moment Alice felt like she understood everything and then, she got thrown a curve ball.

Bella sighed, but understood where her neighbour was coming from, she had, after all been purposely mysterious, "Alice, I know I was elusive about Ashley's death and about a whole lot of things, but there were reasons for it. Firstly, the very fucking strange coincidence that I just happened to move across the road from Ashley's doctor's daughter's house. I felt guilty about the way I treated your dad and I still do, I suppose a part of me was scared of how you'd treat me if you found out who I was. And secondly, I just hadn't accepted it, I didn't want to speak of it and I just didn't want to tell you or anyone about it. It wasn't real to you because it wasn't real to me and I wanted it that way. So, I thought that it would be best to just try to start a new life as a nobody in San Francisco."

Alice peered at her neighbour, "What changed?" she asked cautiously.

Bella purposely glanced at the smaller woman and then took a moment before answering, "It's different now, I'm different now, every day is a constant reminder that she isn't here, but, you've helped. Maybe it's your presence, your perseverance and never-ending care is refreshingly scary or maybe it's just your very nature, either way, you've helped me become a better person. So, yeah, thank you and, I'm sorry for causing you whiplash," she tried to joke at the end.

To say that Alice was touched by her neighbour's words were an understatement, the smaller woman felt her heart welling and found that it warmed her entire body. "Bella…" she tried to begin to say something, but just couldn't figure out what should be said at that moment in time.

Bella however decided to cut her off with a smile, "She would have liked you; I think that the two of you would have gotten along really well," she commented.

Alice grinned, "You'll have to tell me about her sometime."

They pulled up in front of the Cullen residence and Bella took one last look at Alice with a tenderness that almost knocked the breath from the smaller woman.

"Yeah," she promised with a nod.

* * *

**Thank-you for reading.**

**Sorry if this wasn't the huge surprise that you looking for or if you even find it cliche, that's just how this story goes I'm afraid. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Again, thank you for the reviews, favs, followers and so forth, it is much appreciated. Please read the Author's note at the end.**

* * *

When Alice and Bella arrived at the Cullen household they parted ways, Rosalie made a beeline towards Alice, but the smaller woman, with the promises of talking to her about it tomorrow, just went to her childhood room f. She was exhausted, from learning about Bella, from meeting Charlie, from her grandmother's funeral, being back in Forks; it was just, a lot to take in.

She lay on her bed and closed her eyes, thinking about the events that had conspired throughout the day and what it meant. Regardless of how tired she was or how much back and forth their relationship had endured, Alice was still very much glad that she had made friends with Bella, that she had kept on trying with her. She could see the big and small differences in her neighbour when compared to the first time she had met her and it made her happy that some part of that was because of her.

Alice looked at her phone and noticed the several missed calls from her girlfriend; she sighed, and leaned against the headboard of her bed. Tanya was great, she was attentive, supportive and just a pleasant person to be around but that was it, there was just, no pizazz. Alice wasn't that naïve to believe that love meant grande gestures of love proclamations and dramatic displays of devotion, but, whereas she did _like_ Tanya there was that spark that was missing. Tanya didn't really understand Alice's quirks and gestures, like, the time Alice had baked muffins, her girlfriend refused to eat them because she was on a diet, she didn't even try them. Ok, so, maybe that was a bad example, but the bottom line was Tanya just didn't know how play along with her eccentric behaviour.

Alice looked around her room and her eyes laid upon the figurine of the dancer on her vanity, which prompted her to a memory that occurred a few weeks back. One day Tanya and herself had stopped to watch a street performer and Bella had chanced upon there just watching as well. After the act, Bella had given the performer payment which Tanya had just looked at her incredulously. When asked why she had given him so much, the brunette had just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and simply replied, "If a street performer makes you stop walking, you owe them a buck." She then went on her way as if nothing had happened, it was something so small to Bella, but it had warmed Alice's heart to know that genuinely kind people like Bella still existed.

Alice smiled and lay in bed, deciding to call her girlfriend tomorrow, before she closed her eyes, her last thought was that she was glad that Bella Swan was someone special to her.

* * *

_Meanwhile~_

Bella was outside on the porch sitting on a recliner chair, lost in her own thoughts when she heard a door open and close.

"So, who's this chick with Pixie Sticks?" She heard Emmett question, as he took a seat next to her.

"Who?" Bella asked confused, until it dawned on her who was referring to, "Oh Alice, Pixie Sticks? I have to remember that one," she replied. She regarded the man for a moment, she didn't mind his company, but her instincts cautioned her that he was up to something mischievous. After all, the man could have asked Rose or Leah about Alice's dating habits, seeing as they lived with the small woman.

"You know that your sister's dating?" She asked instead.

Emmett shrugged his shoulders, "I just guessed, she was always one to follow her head rather than her heart when it comes to love," he stated honestly.

Bella frowned not really wanting to engage in this conversation, however, she understood that the huge man just wanted to protect his little sister, regardless of how far away they lived from each other. She gave a half shrug and decided to finally answer the question. "I don't know, someone named Tanya, I haven't really met the woman, I'm just the random neighbour, who has randomly come to this random town," Bella said dryly.

"That's random," Emmett commented, equally as dry.

"Indeed," Bella replied and then they shared a chuckle.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments; Emmett's comment had made Bella think about the small woman. She agreed that Alice did tend to go head first into situations with the intent of love in her heart, but whether or not that was the best thing was a different story. Bella recognised how fortunate she, herself was to have found love and, even if it hadn't lasted as long as she would have liked, it was something that no one could take away or that she could forget. Irrespective, Bella knew that her neighbour would find someone, Alice was just too lovely, too kind, caring and just loving to not have someone share her life with. And, for a split second in the back of the brunettes mind, she questioned, _What would happen to me_? The instant her mind had asked the question a wave of guilt welled inside of her for being so selfish, so, she did her best to supress that line of thinking.

"I like you," Emmett suddenly announced out of the blue.

Bella quirked an eyebrow, "Thanks, but you have a wife and I'm pretty sure that I was gay," she replied, causing the man to shake his head animatedly.

"Dude no, not like that, it's just that, you're good for Squirt, I can sense it," he stated.

The brunette just looked at him sceptically, "Really now? Can you read my palm next and tell me my lucky numbers?"

"Is your default always on sarcasm?" Emmett asked, Bella raised an eyebrow at him as if to say, _what do you think?_ And he rolled his eyes at her "Right," he said acceptingly.

Bella chuckled then took a drink from the cup she had been cradling as a momentary distraction to the somewhat awkward atmosphere.

"Why aren't _you_ dating my sister?" Emmett probed curiously, almost making Bella choke on her drink.

"Excuse me?" Bella sputtered.

Emmett almost laughed out loud at the woman's reaction, "You heard me, why aren't you the one with her right now in bed?" he inquired.

The brunette just sized the large man incredulously, "Is that really a question a brother should be asking in regards to his little sister?" she asked instead.

"We're adopted," he answered with a shrug of the shoulders.

"It's creepy," she countered.

"And you're deflecting," he said folding his arms.

"Alice and I are friends," Bella retorted, faintly noticing how much she had been saying that to people, the large man just gave her a look of disbelief.

"Don't give me that look, we live across the road from each other and we're friends, no more, no less," she defended, hoping that the man would just let it drop.

Emmett rubbed his chin, "I don't know about you Bella, but I don't look at my friends the way you and Alice look at each other."

Bella scrunched up her face, what was it with everyone assuming things? "How do we look at each other? If anything, I'm probably just giving her the stink eye for some silly comment she made."

The man still didn't believe the brunette, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much-eth," he said to no one in particular.

Bella scowled at him, "Look, you can believe whatever you want, but I know what's the truth and if you don't believe me then fine."

At this, the large man nodded his head in agreement, "You're right Bella Bear, I can believe whatever I want and what I believe is that, at the moment is there is a woman right in front of me with so much metaphorical baggage on her that you can actually see her shoulders past their breaking point. I can see a woman who tries so damn hard to put up the façade that she doesn't give a shit, when really; she's probably the most caring person in the entire world of history. And I also see a woman who's too scared to admit that she likes my little sister, so scared in fact that even she's starting to believe her fake denial. I know who you are Bella and what you've been through, you're not a terrible person, you never have been and you never will be," he finished.

Emmett, being the eldest of the Cullen boys was also the most protective, not that anyone would have guessed seeing as his friendly attitude was always prominent. To him, Alice was always going to be that fragile little girl that he met so long ago. He regarded the brunette sitting next to him who was currently gaping at him and smiled, knowing that the he could trust his youngest sister with the woman. From first meeting Bella, he had felt an instant affection towards her, he knew that Alice had felt _something_ for her, otherwise, his youngest sister wouldn't have brought her home as she had never done that before, always citing fear of vilification or some other excuse. However, it was more than that; the burly man had observed Alice and Bella's interactions with rapt fascination, noticing that they always gravitated towards each other. He knew that his sister was an overtly affectionate person but it was the unconscious little touches towards Bella that interested him, such as the holding hands or the lingering touch when Alice gave Bella coffee in the morning. It's like; their bodies were just naturally reacting to each other presence and to him, it looked a lot like flirting, even if the women didn't know it. He would have to be an idiot to not see how deep Bella and Alice's connection was, even if the two were too blind to recognise it themselves. He loved his sister and he had always just wanted her to be happy.

"What the actual fuck?" Bella said, surprised by the man's observations.

Emmett just put up his hands, "Hey man, give me some credit I've been a psychiatrist for a few years now and I've had a knack at reading people since I was a kid, you're like an open book. Alice is just shitty at reading you, which is strange considering she's usually the first to pick up on things. I think that you throw her off, which is an amazing feat in and of itself, she was always so high and mighty that she could predict things," he replied.

"_I _throw her off?" Bella asked a little shocked.

The large man just nodded, "Yep," he said popping the P for effect, when he noticed that the brunette wasn't going to say anything more he continued, "Think about what I said Bella and stop denying the thing going on between you and my sister, it's as obvious as the nose on your face. I know that you've been waiting for a sign Bella, and this is it, it's time to stop pretending. Just don't hurt her," he said, echoing Rose's earlier request months ago.

Bella frowned, "I still think that you're wrong," she commented.

In response, Emmett just smirked, "Yeah? When was the last time you had a cigarette?" he inquired.

The brunette thought about the man's question for a moment, and suddenly realized that she hadn't had a cigarette in a few days, her last had probably been in San Francisco, she looked at him again, "How did you..."

"Your fingers are stained a faint yellow, as are your teeth, your clothes reek of it, however, I have yet to _see_ you actually smoke or excuse yourself for one," he supplied.

"But what does..." before she could finish her sentence, Emmett cut in.

"Alice hates cigarettes," he answered, effectively ending the conversation.

Bella stared at him and in response he chuckled, knowing that he just made Bella confront or at least become aware of _something _within herself. He took one last glance into the night, silently congratulating himself on a job well done, he stood up, brushed the dirt from his jeans and headed towards the door, "And Bella? That session was for free, but if you want a real talk, I'll give you my card," he said cheekily before heading back inside.

Bella just continued staring with her mouth slightly agape.

* * *

_Later~_

Bella's mind was relatively blank, after the fiasco with Emmett, she decided to head to bed and just not think about their conversation. But, like always, Bella had found that the little pixie had somehow embedded herself in her thoughts; she was the first person to really get under her skin since her wife's passing and that troubled Bella. She didn't regret showing Alice her wife's tomb stone or meeting her father, she just hoped that Alice wouldn't give her sympathy. Bella decided to entertain the thought pertaining to the nature of her relationship with Alice, did she like her? She couldn't really say, her wife was the one for her, her wife was someone that Bella loved dearly with all her heart, the woman who had understood her in all her and accepted her with all her imperfections. But, that was the past, Alice was someone in her life now that she cared deeply for, she knew that. But what did that actually mean? Bella felt the guilt return again, if she were being completely honest, she felt as if she didn't have the privilege to be interested in another person.

There was a creak from the stairs and, as soon as Bella smelt the perfume she instantly knew who it was.

"You shouldn't be down here," Bella commented to the form that had suddenly materialized and was now looking down upon her.

"Are you ok?" Alice asked.

Bella sighed and closed her eyes, "No…" She opened her eyes again and Alice was still standing there with that same openness that she had grown fond of and it was at that moment where Bella knew that her neighbour would always still be there in front of her. Looking at her with the intensity that could only be described as Alice fucking Cullen.

"…but I will be," she finished and that was the honest truth.

Alice regarded Bella's form, to anyone else, her neighbour would look like she was relaxing, with her arms clasped behind her head, staring at the ceiling. But Alice knew better and rolled her eyes, she lifted up the covers and made an attempt to get underneath the covers on the couch.

"Move over," Alice ordered when she realised Bella wasn't budging.

Bella gave a grunt, but moved aside and faced the outside, which currently left her sandwiched between her neighbour and the back of the couch. "Alice, you shouldn't be down here, I'm not going to explain to your family, why you're on the couch, snuggling me." She wanted to add in the fact that some of Alice's family were already suspicious of their relationship, but decided against it.

Alice faced Bella's front, she wrapped her arm around the middle of her neighbour whilst her other arm lay limply in between them, it was like a semi-awkward hug but it still caused Bella to inexplicably shiver.

"You let me handle them," was the muffled reply.

Bella did not want to say anything about the fact that Alice's head was buried in her cleavage, she didn't even want to think about it, so she just gave an indignant, "Fine."

A few minutes went by, each women breathing in the others scent and neither letting go, it was a little strange, but more comforting than anything else.

"Alice?" Bella whispered after a moment, when she felt the smaller woman's head incline, she continued, "Why don't you like cigarettes? You say that they're a bad habit, which I suppose I can agree with, but no one I've met has been as adverse about it as you," she asked, remnants of her conversation with Emmett still in her mind.

Alice furrowed her brow and started to pick the back of Bella's jumper, "My parents died when I was seven because my dad forgot to put out his cigarette," she answered in a small voice. Bella felt her heart break at the tone Alice had used, she sounded like a small child, she automatically began to rub the smaller woman's back; she didn't even think that it was possible for something like that to occur anymore.

Alice appreciated her neighbours gesture, "It's ok, I don't really remember them and, I just can't think what my life would be like if I did have them, it sucks, but, I love the family that I have now, with everything I have," she finished, keeping her voice strong.

Bella nodded her head and thought that the small woman in her arms was a very strong woman indeed, for what she lacked in physical size, she made up with the size of her heart.

"Will you tell me about her?" Alice suddenly inquired in a whispered breath.

Bella looked down at Alice and noticed the familiar curious gaze in her eyes, the one that her wife had always possessed, surprisingly, the look didn't disarm her, "Yes," Bella responded.

And she did, Bella told Alice everything about her deceased wife.

Of the day when Bella first met Ashley in college, how they had such a heated argument in a Religion class, that the lecturer had to remove them both and that the tension never dissipated between them after that.

She told Alice about the day when she saw Ashley crying in the street after breaking up with her girlfriend and how they had both laughed when they realised that they were both gay and undertaking a Religion class.

She told Alice about the time Bella took Ashley out on a date and how after their first kiss, Bella just knew that she was the one.

She told Alice about the time when Ashley found out that she had a tumour; she didn't tell Bella for a really long time, so the brunette had thought that she was cheating on her, but a yellow manila folder had changed everything.

She told Alice that they married, not because Ashley was sick, but because they were in love and it was inevitably what they both wanted.

And she told Alice that when Ashley had died, that was the saddest moment in Bella's life, how, she wished she had just one last kiss with her to tell her good-bye, to tell her she loved her and would think of her every day of her life.

And Alice had listened, through it all and even though she couldn't empathize, she just listened patiently and that was all Bella needed.

"Sometimes I just feel so lifeless and I miss her so much, it feels as if I'm the one that's dead, you know?. And then, other times I catch myself for being so angry at her for leaving me and I feel so ashamed to admit it, I hate that I blame her," Bella finally confessed.

Alice rubbed soothing circles on Bella's back, "Being alive isn't synonymous to living Bella; surely you realize this by now. So much has been taken from you and it's o.k to isolate yourself sometimes, because it is how you bring yourself out of those dark places that determines who you are. Don't ever be ashamed or apologetic for the way you feel you're being honest; it's what makes you know that you're still human. Bella, it is this heart that you have right now that I have grown to love. Can you honestly say that this is what Ashley would have wanted for you?" she articulated honestly.

Bella felt her heart constrict, she knew Alice was right by all accounts, however, instead of commenting, she cleared her hoarse throat, "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change," she replied, remembering a quote that she had once heard.

The smaller woman just smiled at her neighbours attempt to back off and shut down, "You know, she also said that Life, although it may be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me and I will defend it. You are in my life Bella because I need you to be and you are so very dear to me," Alice retorted.

Bella sighed but finally understood that there was nothing that would ever take the pain of losing Ashley away, but she knew that with time she could live with it.

After a long glance at Alice, Bella hugged her tightly, grateful for having the smaller woman in her life, "I…Alice I…" she began, just now noticing that Alice had admitted to loving her again.

"Thank-you," Bella settled with, that was the closest she was going to come to saying those words for the time being, but that meant something deep to Alice.

The smaller woman just grinned at her nieghbour and nestled in for the night, there wasn't anything more that was needed to be said and that was fine for both women.

When Alice had finally fallen asleep, Bella had a few thoughts, she knew that no one would ever be able to replace Ashley and secondly, she thought of the little pixie in her arms. This woman, whoever she would turn out to be in Bella's life, it would be someone special. And Bella decided right then and there that she would make more of an effort to live, because that's what Ashley would have wanted.

Bella looked at the sleeping form of her nieghbour and couldn't help the warmth that spread throughout her; it was like feeling the glow of a light bulb after surging for so long.

_Someone special indeed._

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

**When I first began this story, I wanted to end it here and just leave it open. I know where I would want Alice and Bella's relationship to go if I continued, but I can also leave it here and be content with that. Most of you have been silent witnesses to this journey, however, for this one, I am leaving it up to you guys. Would you like more? It'd be two more chapters, but it'd probably wrap everything up into a nice little bundle. That being said, I'm not demanding reviews or justifications, you can simply just write, "Do it!" and that'd be the end of it, I'm just curious as to whether it'd be beneficial to the story. And, seeing as I don't have a beta, I am politely requesting your opinion, please.**

**Otherwise, thank-you for taking the time to read this.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**A massive thanks to all of you for the encouragement, I have to admit, receiving so many notifications with the words, "Do it," really made me laugh, but it also warmed my heart, so thank you. I honestly appreciate all the comments, PM's, favs and follows.**

**Anyway, here we are, another chapter, I must warn you all that I'm kind of stabbing in the dark here because, as you know, I had thought this was done and dusted in the last chapter. So, if something seems a little out of place, let me know and I'll do my best to fix it. **

**That being said, I believe someone said that there were tons of questions that needed to be answered. So, I ask you all this, what do you think still needs to be answered? This can be in terms of clarifying characterization, relationships, facts etc…I'm going to try something different next chapter and your question will help in trying to develop it. Thanks again for everything and sorry for the long ass Author's note!**

* * *

"Dammit burn my wood already!"Jacob yelled at the dead driftwood pieces that were just staring back at him, he and the rest of the reservation boys had been trying to start the bonfire for over an hour and yet there was still nothing. There were barely any sparks.

One of the boys looked over at the large man and started laughing, "Ha! Dude, that's what she said," he replied earning a groan from the rest of the party.

Jacob scowled, that didn't even make sense, the man looked around and saw that a lot of people from the reservation had gathered tonight. They were currently setting up an assortment of food and shelter in celebration of their long tradition and heritage. He looked up and saw the sun setting down to sleep so that the moon could shine; he checked his watch and smiled, _not lon…_

Before he could finish that thought however, the man was tackled to the ground by a very familiar body.

"Jake!" Bella screamed as she jumped on her best friend who she hadn't seen in months.

It only took a moment for the Jake to regain his senses and realise that his best was currently sandwiching him to the ground.

"Bella!" He greeted with equal fever, turning his body around to pin her to the ground.

After a moment of roughhousing, the two friends got up and brushed themselves off all the while laughing. When he had caught his breath, Jacob finally noticed Leah, Rose and Alice with four other strangers just watching them with amusement. He nodded towards the cohort and beamed when Alice waved back at him enthusiastically, admittedly, he was surprised that Bella had come with other people.

He slung an arm around the brunette, "Bella, you brought friends," he articulated in dramatic awe, "is this the same Bella Swan that I left back in San Francisco? You have friends, stop the presses people!" he finished with an elaborate hand motion.

Bella just scowled at her friend and made her way towards the Cullen's with Jake still on her persons, "Shut up you big oaf," she reprimanded.

Jacob smiled earnestly, "I missed seeing your face," he whispered to her.

The brunette stopped scowling, she couldn't be mad at him after that comment. "Me too Jake," she replied giving him a soft smile, when they reached the Cullen's she motioned towards them, "Come on; let me introduce you to everyone," she said.

* * *

_Later~_

The introductions went exceedingly well with Jacob and Emmett instantly making friends by comparing muscle mass. Leah, who had also been raised on the reservation as well, went to reunite with her Mother and younger brother, dragging Rosalie along, not that she minded of course. Kate and Emmett decided to help out with the women in preparing food for the large festivities. And Edward and Jasper went on to assist the reservation boys in starting the bonfire and, after much swearing, frustration and yelling, were finally able to get the fire started. This earned the duo a loud holler from the boys and instant acceptance into the little group of misfits for the night.

Alice, after much catching up with Jake, decided to leave the two friends for some private time, she imagined that there was much to talk about between the two. Currently she was playing with the children who were engaged with wooden musical instruments that they had constructed themselves, she was absolutely amazed at their innovation and talent.

Bella was sitting on the sand watching Alice from a far, faintly smiling, she knew that her neighbour was pretty, but her unabashed awe was certainly something to admire. Her trance was broken when her best friend sat down with an _ompf_ and a large plate of food, causing her to roll her eyes. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments with nothing but the waves of the sea speaking for them, it was good to be together again, they thought simultaneously.

Bella looked at her friend who was finishing his last hot dog, "I hope that it's ok that I brought people Jake, I know that you said that the reservation was having a bonfire, but I should have asked," she said. The brunette had called her friend last night with the news that she was back in town, causing the male to almost go through the mobile line and choke his friend for not informing him earlier.

Jake just laughed at his friend's politeness, "Hey man, the more the merrier, gotta admit though, I was a bit worried because some of the folks here didn't really like the Cullen's, I think they were a little bit jealous that they live in luxury but, everyone seems to be getting along. So, in a way, thank you for gluing the rift between them." It wasn't so much as they all hated each other; they just didn't _know_ each other and their fear of the other just resulted in tension.

"It wasn't really my idea Jake," Bella replied taking a meaningful glance at Alice. When she had told the smallest Cullen that she was going to visit Jake, Alice had made a boisterous declaration that she was going to join, citing that she had missed him as well. Leah, overhearing the conversation joined because she needed to visit too and, when Emmett had heard that a party was to be had, joined in.

Jake really looked at his friend and noticed that there weren't bags under her eyes anymore, he followed her line of vision already knowing who she was staring at, "How are things with Alice?" he asked her.

The brunette threw a half-hearted glance at her friend, "Cutting out the middle man?" she deadpanned.

She had known that he was going to pick up on the altered relationship between herself and Alice and she also knew what he was going to infer, it didn't mean that she was going to completely agree with it however. She knew that there were thoughts in the back of her mind that made her feel guilty so, part of seeing Jake today was to also engage with those thoughts, Jake, for all his childish immature ways was also her stupid voice of conscience sometimes.

Jake smirked, "Ha, so you're not denying that there is something going on," he yelled causing Alice to incline her head towards the noise, she hadn't heard him but smiled at the two friends catching up with each other.

Bella's face coloured, "Shut up she can hear you," she gritted.

Jake started laughing at his friend's embarrassment, "Dude, are you- are you, blushing?" he asked with glee.

The brunette just smacked his arm trying to get him to settle down, "Will you let me talk, so that I can deny everything that you're saying?" she replied.

She hung her head and hoped that the blush would stop, justifying her immediate embarrassment as being almost caught out for talking about Alice by Alice. Jacob grinned at his friend's lively reaction as she was currently attempting to either hide her discomfort or suffocate herself with her hair.

Bella waited until she felt her cheeks return to normal, "I told her about Ashley," she suddenly stated, momentarily breaking the previous topic.

Jacob's eyebrows almost whipped off his face because he was that surprised by the statement, he looked at the brunette and gave a slow nod. Bella continued, "She seemed to take it well," she gave a half smile, "I think that she was just relieved that I finally told her," she finished honestly. She didn't really know where she was going with the admission; she was just making conversation really.

The man next to her just hummed in acknowledgement, "You know, I remember the first time I met Ashley," he began. It felt strange being able to say the name again but he persevered when his friend gave him a downcast smile, "You were so nervous that you choked on a piece of bread, the girl had to save your ass with that Heimlich thing," he finished with a chuckle.

Even though, that was the first time he had ever met Ashley, Jacob knew that she was the one for his best friend. It was demonstrated in the way their eyes lit up for each other, how in love they were with each other, Jake had all but welcomed his best friend's one and only lover with open arms. When Ashley died, he didn't just lose Bella to the currents of grief, he had lost a friend in Ashley as well. It was cathartic being permitted to openly talk about the departed woman like this with his friend.

Bella and Jacob sat for a few moments thinking about Ashley and how she had graced their lives. "You know," Jacobs started gently, "Do you really think that Ashley would have wanted you to wallow in grief for so long after she passed? Bella, I don't think that she would have wanted you to grieve at all," he said.

Jacob had always known that he would have to breach this topic with his friend, but he felt that she was finally ready for this talk, to come out of her shell and allow her heart to be open again. It was evident in the way she hadn't flinched when he spoke her wife's name and the way her relationship with Alice had deepened. He believed that the cracks that were in her heart were already beginning to be filled and he knew that he had the tiny Cullen to thank for that… speaking of.

"Alice is a good person Bella, you and I both know this, I think Ashley would be proud if you two, well, you know," he let the sentence hang in the air not really sure if he should finish it. He knew that Bella was ready, that she was already in the fray; however, did Bella herself know that?

Bella sighed neither disagreeing or agreeing with the man's words, Jake's comment about her wife jarred her a little, as it was the exact same statement that Alice had made night's ago, she frowned.

"It's not that simple Jake," she commented.

Jake smiled patiently, "Yeah it is actually, you're just making it more difficult than it needs to be," he replied, Bella just hummed and stared out into the distance.

The man stared at his friend, "Bella, it's been almost 18 months since Ashley moved on, when are you going to do the same?" he asked her.

Bella looked back at him with confusion, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, that you're so stuck in the past that I've aged two years and you still haven't said Happy Birthday to me," Jacob replied half serious. He didn't mean it to be a malicious statement.

Bella understood what he meant though, as yet again, the conversation with Alice from a few nights ago relayed in her mind. She had been living, but she hadn't been alive and, in doing so, she had been unconsciously negligent of the people around her, guilt erupted within her.

"I'm sorry Jake, I know that I haven't been such a good best friend since then," she needlessly apologised.

Jake just wrapped an arm around her, accepting her apology, he understood why she had been the epitome of the walking dead and honestly didn't blame her. But, she needed to know how she had changed since then and the significance of what that change meant. He scanned for Alice who was by the edge of the water, playing with a little girl, just running back and forth, chasing and running away from the waves. The scene made him gush on the inside at the cute display.

He looked at Bella again, "Maybe there's a reason why you moved across the road from her," he started again gently.

"Or maybe it was just a coincidence?" Bella replied a bit defensively, breaking her gaze from Alice.

"A huge fucking coincidence," Jake said rolling his eyes.

"Why _did_ you decide to move to San Francisco anyway?" he asked her, finally feeling able to talk to her about the topic. When Bella had made the sudden decision move all those months ago, he hadn't felt right asking her why she specifically wanted to live in that particular area. He was scared that she would just shut him out, so, he just went along wordlessly not only for the ride, but to make sure that she was safe.

Bella gave a half smile at her friends long overdue question, she rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand and then looked up at the greeting moon, "Because I wanted to lose my head in San Francisco, to wait for the fog to roll out, but then, I found it in a raincloud and it was smiling down," she articulated cryptically.

If it had been anyone else other than her best friend, they would have given the brunette a bewildered look, Jake however frowned as he fully understood where her choice of words had proliferated from. "Really Bella? You moved to San Francisco because of a song that was playing on repeat at your house?" he asked incredulously.

Before Bella could reply, Alice cut in, after learning the hard way that, although she loved children, they were so darn energetic. "What song?" she asked the pair, taking her place next to her neighbour.

Bella just looked at the small woman and noticed that she was covered in water which prompted her to immediately take off her jacket and wrap it around the small woman. She did so without thought, it was just automatic and, even though Alice knew that, should have known that her neighbour had always just been courteous like that, it still made her heart melt on the inside. Alice crossed her legs in a sitting position very much content where she was; she was so comfortable in fact that she wasn't even aware that her hand sought out Bella's knee in thanks.

Jake quirked an eyebrow at the display, but decided not to comment, "San Francisco by the Mowgli's," he replied instead, answering Alice's earlier question.

Alice tilted her head to the side, "You know what that song's about right?" she asked them. She had heard snippets of the conversation as she was walking towards them and was silently wondering if the song really was the reason why Bella had moved across the road from her.

Bella and Jake just looked at her with curious open eyes, causing her to scoff at them in disbelief, "Seriously guys? It's like two verses long," she said. After establishing that they really were clueless she continued, "It's a song that basically means love brings everyone together," she informed them.

Jake looked at Bella had who frowned in thought and then gave his attention back to Alice, he wanted to laugh so badly at the irony but settled with a "Huh, no shit."

Alice nodded her head and then started to play with the edges of her short hair with her fingertips, she would really need to make an effort to get all the sand out. "Yeah, where did you hear it Bella?" she asked.

Bella rubbed her jaw and tried not to think about how her knee was still warm from where Alice had touched it, "It was Ashley's favourite song," she answered, "And yeah, I moved to San Francisco because of it. When she passed away, listening to that song on repeat was the only thing that I could think of that made me feel closer to her," she finished with a slight shrug of the shoulders.

Bella had never really been a musically inclined person, not like her wife was, but, when Ashley had passed, the brunette had surprisingly become enamoured by the melding of lyrics and melodies, it were as if she were engaging with her deceased wife through that medium. That particular song played on repeat day after day, month after month until Bella had actually moved to San Francisco.

Alice smiled at the ease to which her neighbour could relay information to her now, "She had good taste in music," she commented. Jake smiled, having the same thoughts as Alice; it was good seeing his Bella so receptive to people.

"Hey Alice, how's things with Tanya?" he asked after a lull in the conversation.

The small woman just frowned and wrapped herself up in Bella's jacket tighter, instantly feeling comforted, "It's going ok, we're still together."

Jake's eyebrow rose at the blasé tone she had given, "Why doesn't that scream have my babies?"

Alice just sighed, with her thoughts from a few nights ago plaguing her mind, "I mean, she's nice, I can grow to love her right?" she asked the duo, who instantly looked away at her semi plight.

"Sure," "Yep, uh-huh," the two answered simultaneously and unconvincingly. They both knew that the small woman had been dating Tanya for months now but her question in relation to her own feelings at them wasn't really re-assuring. Firstly, Alice's audience consisted of a woman who had her heart ripped from her and a currently single man and secondly, if she had to ask, well, thereupon laid the answer.

Alice scowled at their obvious scepticism, but somewhere inside her, she knew that they were right.

"How about you Bella?" Alice asked her neighbour who, in return just gave her a dumbfounded look.

"What? What about me?" the brunette asked, ever the deer caught in headlights.

"Anyone piquing your interest?" Alice clarified, she believed to already know the answer, but, she thought she should just to double check. In response to question however, Bella just began to laugh long and hard but, when she noticed that the smaller woman wasn't joining in, she quickly sobered.

"Oh you're serious. Umm no, no, no and no," she replied with an emphasized shake of the head, feeling the tell-tale signs of a blush coming on.

Alice smiled, but on the inside she felt perplexed, she knew that Bella would eventually move on in life and she hoped to be there when that happened, yet, at the same time she felt relieved.

"Wait, why didn't you ask Jake?" Bella asked, cutting her neighbour from further thought.

Jake intervened, "Dude, I just broke up with someone, I told you like, weeks ago," he informed her.

At this, the brunette just whipped her head towards her friend, "Did you?"

Jake, bless him, just nodded his head, "Yeah man, but its ok, I'm ok, it just means that there's plenty of Jakey to be passed around," he replied taking his friend's forgetfulness in stride.

Bella just rolled her eyes, "I fear for the male population," she commented, causing Alice to giggle.

"Is everyone in this town gay?" Emmett butted in, as he walked hand in hand with his wife towards the threesome. He hadn't meant it to be offensive, it was just an observation, with all his siblings and siblings friends self-identified as homosexual and all.

In response, Bella just placed a hand on her chin thoughtfully, "I don't know about the guys, but the women probably just saw you as the alternative and decided to turn," she replied fluidly.

Jacob yelled "Burn!" as Kate and Alice started laughing, Emmett stood shocked at Bella's wit.

When his mind was finally able to catch up with him, Emmett too started laughing, "Alice, I _really_ like this one, you _need_ keep her," he stated.

At this comment, both the women just blushed and Jacob looked at them and chuckled, if he had ever shipped them before, he shipped them even more so now.

He looked towards the night's sky, which seemed to be spray painted silver, deep down he knew that Ashley was watching them, because she had always burned so brightly whenever she looked at Bella.

Jacob glanced at his best friend and couldn't help but feel his heart warm at the sight of her laughing; _she's back_ he thought to himself.

* * *

**Just a head's up, the next update might take a while so, plenty of time to think of some questions. Also, I do intend on replying to y'all that logged in and reviewed. As always, thank you for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**This chapter isn't the one that I had originally planned, however, I thought about a few things that needed addressing, based upon the insight of a few lovely people. That being said, apologies if I didn't do it a service or if I've turned people off with its contents.**

**I don't know how I feel about this chapter so, I'll leave it up to y'all.**

* * *

It had been two weeks since Bella and her neighbours had returned from Forks and she had found that much had changed. The first major thing, she finally had a story. On the first night that she settled back in San Francisco, an idea had formulated right before she had fell asleep. And, seeing as she had actually remembered it the next day, she took it as a positive sign. She called her surprised agent with her narrative and got the _ok_ to produce a draft hours later of her proposal. For days after that, she had addressed and re-addressed the idea. She had barely slept as the race to write down characterizations and plots ran rampant in her mind. For the first time in forever, she was able to have coherent thoughts outside of her own sadness and, it felt good.

The second major thing to have occurred was that Alice had been visiting her more often at her house. Previously, the two would just randomly see each other across the road or in the street, eliciting engagement and conversations. However, seeing as Bella had made the unconscious decision to quit smoking, her small neighbour took the onus to freely visit the brunette. The relationship was comfortable, as they had settled into some sort of routine within the first few days. Alice would come over at whatever time she wanted and then make both of them a coffee. Sometimes Alice would bring over work; sometimes she would watch t.v or just watch Bella write a million things down all the while laughing at the brunette for talking to herself. They would talk and sometimes they wouldn't. There was an ease to which Alice had paced into her neighbours place of dwellings, though, Bella didn't mind, after all she quite liked her neighbours company. But ultimately, Alice would leave for the night, to go home or to go see Tanya, Bella didn't really want to know and Alice didn't tell her.

Bella smiled as she cracked the joints in her neck, loving the physical release with each popping sound. She still thought about Ashley every day, she _felt _her in her heart but, these little major steps assisted to prevent her from being in her previous state of perpetual depression.

Bella looked at the time and frowned; it was around 8pm on a Saturday night and it was still silent. All day she had been expecting her small neighbour to suddenly and flamboyantly burst through her front door, just as she always did.

But it was just quiet, that was, until she heard three knocks at the door.

She went to open it and was slightly surprised to see Leah standing there.

"Hey man," the dark skinned woman greeted awkwardly.

"Leah? What's up?" Bella returned nonchalantly, as if she didn't know.

In response to the blasé tone, Leah shook away her awkwardness, cocked her hip to the side and then crossed her arms "O.k, you know why I'm here," she replied with a pointed look. When her neighbour continued to give her the doe eyes, she just rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm supposed to bring you over to my place with some lie that I can't really think of at the moment or perform even if I had one. So, come on then," she all but demanded.

Bella just smirked and leaned against the threshold of her door, "Oh really now?" she asked stationary in her position.

Leah quirked an eyebrow at her neighbours rouse, "You can either come with me right now and act surprised or you can let Alice drag your ass over, either way, you're going to be there. _They_ asked me to do this because I'm supposedly the least threatening."

In considering the ultimatum and not really wanting to deal with her small neighbour's wrath Bella chose the lesser of two evils, "Well, I wouldn't want to let your lie that you didn't even make up go to waste. Let me get my jacket," she relented with a sigh. Leah just smirked triumphantly and then waited, that actually hadn't gone too bad.

As they walked across the road Bella looked at Leah, "So, on a scale from one to Russel Crowe, how mad is she?" she asked. She knew that she was going to see Alice at some point today, but that didn't consolidate her fear.

Leah chuckled, "Not much surprisingly."

The two women had never really been alone together before, but from that one comment and from past general observations, Leah could see herself hanging out with the brunette in the future.

When they reached the door, before Bella reached her judgement, she turned to Leah for one last comment, "Just so you know, I'm using you as a human shield if shit goes down."

This caused Leah to laugh out loud, "Well, I suppose that's to be expected, all things considered," she replied. Yeah, they could definitely hang out together sometime, she concluded.

Bella grinned for a second and then sighed, "Let's get this over with," she said, twisting the doorknob.

As soon as the door opened she was assaulted with raucous applause and streamers, causing her to shut her eyes at the attention.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she heard multiple exclamations.

Bella opened her eyes and was extremely surprised to see Jake there with a party hat on his head; he rushed up towards her and engulfed her in his trademark bear hug.

"I didn't think that you were going to come down," Bella stated in joy, disregarding the nauseous feeling at being twirled around.

"What? And miss my Bella being all growned up? I would have seen you earlier but I only got in like, two hours ago. I'm down here until tomorrow night though," he replied with fervour. Bella rolled her eyes at the age remark because she was older than Jake by at least a few years.

He finally put her down so that she could properly greet her neighbours and an additional woman, who she remembered and knew to be Tanya. Everyone was standing there watching the display with smiles on their faces, yeah, even Rose was smiling at her.

"Thanks guys," Bella said.

She popped a hand under her chin in thought, "Gee, I wonder who set this all up," she commented in the most sarcastic voice she could muster.

Ignoring Bella's earlier comment and much like Jake, Alice practically jumped onto her neighbour, "I can't believe that you didn't tell me, I only found out because of Jake," she squealed wrapping her arms around the taller woman.

Alice squeezed tightly and then levelled herself to Bella's ear, "I am going to reprimand you _so hard_ later," she whispered. The comment was delivered as sexual as it sounded and for a moment Bella's traitorous body shivered.

Alice retracted and smiled at her neighbours dumbfounded look, "Come on, let's get this party started," she said, earning a loud wooop from Jake.

At the display, Rose and Leah gave a meaningful look to each other whilst Tanya just frowned.

* * *

After the compulsory cake and presents were done, Alice and Jake demanded that they all visit a club in celebration to Bella's birthday. When Bella had refused, Alice smashed cake onto the brunette's clothes and then innocently cited that since her neighbour needed to change anyway, she may as well change into 'going out' clothes. The logic was lost on the brunette, but Jake intervened by laughing and then dragging Bella out of her neighbours house to prepare.

They entered an alternative club mixed pub, much like the one that they had first visited all those months ago; the only difference being the music genre. Whereas the last club issued techno and dance sounds, this venue echoed gritty bass notes, crisp electric guitars on distort, unforgiving percussionists and singers with voices as harsh as the cigarettes they smoked. Bella knew that this was her friend's way of compromising, on the one hand, there were many people mulling about at the bar and on tables, but on the other, and despite the music, there was a crowd dancing on the floor and on the stage in a drunken haze of bodies, sweat, alcohol and rock music. The brunette just knew that her friends were going to join in the fray, but she was appreciative of the gesture.

Alice, with an attached Tanya and Jake immediately took to the stage together. Whereas Rose, Leah and Bella excused themselves for the moment by stipulating that they were going to get a table and a drink.

* * *

Two hours had passed by and each of the members of the group had intermitted joined Bella for a drink and a breather at the table. She didn't want to dance and you couldn't make her, it's her birthday and she can sit if she wants to.

That was until Alice challenged that notion, "So, you going to dance with me or what?" the short haired woman asked her neighbour with an eyebrow raised and stance akimbo. At the present, Rose, Leah and Jake were dancing together, whilst Tanya went for a bathroom break and then another round of drinks.

Bella looked at her neighbour and shook her head, "Nah, I don't have my blue suede shoes on tonight," she replied.

Alice rolled her eyes but forfeited the debate; she took a place next to Bella and watched the crowd with her. The brunette however, was acutely aware that her neighbour was perspiring and breathing rapidly, causing her chest to heave in and out.

In and out.

Alice began to play with the label of her drink, "I hope you don't mind that we're celebrating your birthday Bella, but you're just so special that we couldn't _not_ do anything."

Bella grimaced at the double negative but took her neighbours words in stride, "It's fine, I mean, I suppose it could have been worse, you could have invited Emmett and then we'd have two drunk and dancing beef cakes to worry about. And anyway, I know how you are Alice, ostentatious is your middle name," she replied with a smirk.

Alice giggled at this, but, when Bella's words registered in her mind, something within her clicked, causing her to suddenly reach out for her neighbours arm, "Wait, you know that Alice is my middle name right?" she asked seriously.

Bella just looked at her blankly, ignoring the grip on her, "Umm, what?" she replied.

The smaller woman saw the genuine confusion in her neighbour's eyes and then slapped her own forehead, when she realized what she had unintentionally done. "Jeez, I thought I had told you, I mean, I guess that I just forgot because I usually don't tell people but, I had thought that out of everyone, I would have told you," she rushed out in embarrassment.

Bella just continued looking at her blankly, trying to decipher what she was saying, so she continued, "Alice Cullen isn't my full name, I was born Mary Alice Brandon. But, when I was a teenager I changed it to Cullen in respect and love for my adopted family, they didn't force me, I chose it. My official name now is Mary Alice Brandon-Cullen," she professed, feeling badly for unconsciously lying to her neighbour.

Bella could feel Alice's distress at the admission, so, in return she just looked at her neighbour queerly, "Woah woah woah, hold the phone there. Mary?" she asked theatrically.

In return, Alice felt relieved that her neighbour had taken everything in stride and then she rolled her eyes, "Eugh, there are just _so _many times a girl can be asked, 'how does your garden grow?'" she replied, remembering how annoying kids where when she was growing up.

Bella burst out laughing, causing Alice to scowl, "I thought Isabella was bad," the brunette commented.

After a pause Bella looked at Alice, "So, Mary Mary, quite contrary, how _does_ your garden grow?" she recited salaciously with a wiggle of her eyebrows and then proceeded to laugh again. It wasn't even that funny, by admission her joke was really lame, but it was one of those moments where the stupider something was, the more hilarious it became.

Alice felt elated at hearing her neighbours boisterous laugh, even if it was at her own expense, she took a sideways glance at her, "You're lucky it's your birthday, first, you refuse to dance with me and now you laugh at my name. How are we even friends?" she replied dramatically.

Bella just rolled her eyes at her neighbour's theatrics, "Because you love me and don't deny it, you already admitted it," she said impishly. This caused Alice to be silenced, as her neighbour was correct.

Bella took a serious look at her neighbour, sobering from the playful atmosphere, "I'm lucky in many ways Alice and I've only just remembered this," she said slowly looking at Alice straight in the eyes.

The admission confronted Alice and her face softened, "Bella…" she began, but she didn't know where to go from there.

Bella just smiled, knowing that she had rendered her neighbour speechless by her comment, however she frowned when she realized something, "When you changed your name, why did you leave the Mary as your official first name?" she asked curiously and effectively changing the topic.

Alice just smiled that dazzling smile, "Because even though I may not like the name, my parents loved me enough to give it to me and that's something that I can't forget nor would want to get rid of," she replied easily.

Her companion nodded her head and felt humbled to have been given such a raw answer; it was things like this that made her really appreciate and respect the small woman in front of her.

Before anything more could be said between the two Tanya cut in, "Here are the requested shots," she beamed, placing the three small glasses onto the table containing a questionable mix of liquids.

Bella picked up one shot glass and studied the pink mixture within it, "Thanks," she said.

Each women held their shot into the air and before they gunned it down their throats, Alice smiled at Bella, "Happy birthday Bella, may you always continue to recognise the love in front, inside and around you," she toasted, giving her neighbour a wink.

They all clinked glasses and downed their drink in one gulp, finishing with a satisfied sigh.

Bella took a swig from her beer bottle, not ever being one to appreciate sickeningly sweet alcohol.

Alice looked at Tanya, "Let's dance," she requested.

In response her girlfriend just shook her head, "You go on ahead, I'm going to take a breather," she declined. Alice pouted and only went away when her girlfriend kissed her on the forehead, which caused Bella to inexplicably look away.

Alice became entangled in the dance orgy occurring and Tanya took a seat across from Bella, to say that it was awkward would be an understatement. Tanya took a generous swig from her beer; it was her fifth one for the night. She could feel the liquid boosting her confidence, signalling the tell-tale signs of oncoming intoxication, but that didn't really bother her, in fact, she welcomed it. She looked at the birthday girl and couldn't help the assortment of feelings that erupted within her.

"So, what's working with Alice like?" Bella asked Tanya curiously, trying to make conversation. She didn't mind that the other woman was there, for it was the perfect opportunity to suss out her neighbours girlfriend.

Tanya disregarded her feelings and smiled at the mention of Alice, "Well, she's different but the same as to how she is on the outside. I work in a different area to her but, from what I see, she's more focused there, she's determined, I would describe her as a true professional, but perhaps I'm biased," she finished. She glanced over and her smile grew wider at seeing Alice dancing with as many bodies as she could.

"On the outside she's more relaxed, but she still has that innate determination as if there's nothing that could ever get in her way," Tanya further added.

Bella gave a nod in agreement and thought about her words, she knew that Alice was a force to be reckoned with, but she hadn't realized how much of that personality was injected into other aspects of the small woman's life as well.

Tanya looked at Bella and remembered how fervently her girlfriend had been towards welcoming the brunette hours earlier. She took another large gulp of beer and then began toying with the label, "Just saying but, watching you two is kind of enough to make a girl jealous," she confronted.

Bella almost swallowed her own tongue at that comment, "Excuse me?" she asked flustered.

The other woman just gave a sideways glance, "She's different with you," Tanya clarified.

"Umm…" the brunette hadn't been expecting that comment nor did she know how to reply to it.

Tanya gave a sad smile, "I've seen her as a professional, as a girlfriend, as a friend, as a roommate to Rose and Leah but, I've never seen when she's _with you,_ not really. I've never seen her light up before like that."

"I don't…" Bella began, but before Tanya could lose her courage, she interjected, "She's not in love with me, I know she isn't and don't lie to me and say that she might one day, I know that it'll never happen," she finally articulated after months of silence.

Bella stayed silent, briefly wondering how much alcohol the other woman had consumed, on the one hand, she wanted to stop the woman from saying things that she may regret, on the other, she suspected that the other woman needed an outlet to say these things for her own benefit and sanity. Obviously she hadn't talked to Alice about this and Bella had just somehow been caught in the crossfire. So, she stayed silent.

When Tanya knew that the brunette wasn't going to interrupt or say anything, she continued to speak, "With me, she's…distracted, she always has been. It's like she's forcing herself to be with me in order to get her mind off of other things. At first I thought I was just imaging it but, I know why that's the case now." She gave a meaningful glance at her companion, and Bella still stayed silent, not trusting ability to speak.

Tanya finished the rest of her beer and went for another that had just been sitting on the table, not really caring that it had belonged to someone else; at the moment she needed a vice.

She sighed as thoughts that she had been dying to articulate had finally come to the forefront, "The first time I ever asked her out, it was a year ago, she said no because she said that she doesn't mix business and pleasure. So, imagine my surprise when she randomly asked _me_ out all those months ago, of course I immediately said yes, I was thrilled, elated to be going out on a date with _the_ Alice Cullen you know?" Bella gave a slow nod to demonstrate that she was listening, half wanting to scream 'but Alice isn't even her real name!' just, anything to distract the woman long enough to run away.

Tanya however, had other plans, "She asked me out around the same time that she saw her ex at that club that she went to with you," she stipulated.

Bella frowned, "I don't really see how this all fits," she stated a bit confused. Conceded, a kiss had conspired that night, but Alice had been quite adamant that it had meant nothing.

Tanya's lips turned upward, "Alice is the honest type, so, when she told me about what happened between you two, I didn't think anything of it; instead, I concentrated on how she was using me as a rebound from her ex. It didn't even register to me that that wasn't the case at all. Seeing you two today and just, from the shit that I've experienced with her, it's just confirmed that she asked me out and has stayed with me this long, in order to get her thoughts away from someone, more specifically, you," she took another drink from the unmarked bottle and grimaced.

Bella's brow rose, "That's a bit of an accusation you have there," she commented.

Tanya just scoffed, "Is it really? The first time we met, you basically threatened me not to hurt her and she _always_ talks about you, she just doesn't stop, but it's more than that, it's in her eyes, you know as well as I do how expressive they are. Dammit, I wish she had never told me what happened that night," she finished, she was more hurt than angry but the alcohol didn't assist to express that.

She shook her head from the oncoming fuzziness and stared directly into Bella's eyes, "Right now, I'm not even looking at her and I know that it's not me or us that she's looking at, it's _you_," she spat.

Bella fought everything within herself to not verify the woman's claim, "So, why don't you break up with her if that's the case?" she reasoned defensively.

Tanya gave a humourless laugh, "I'll stay for as long as she needs me, surely you can understand that." She placed her head on her hand and blinked away the feelings that were waiting to burst.

Bella's eye furrowed, but she understood, after-all, love was an emotion that she had felt before too, "The heart has reasons that reason does not understand. I'm sorry, I never meant, I mean, I don't think she…I just don't know," the brunette replied.

A silence filled the ensued; Bella didn't know what to say as her feelings towards Alice were just as complicated as Tanya's thoughts. However, she didn't need to say anything as Alice's girlfriend decided to speak, "Not everyone can let go of their lover. I guess I'm just a selfish coward like that and she's just so scared that she's become blind to seeing what's going on right in front of her. For someone who's so hell bent on love, in her search for it, she's missed it completely," she finished. In saying this, the irony was not lost on Tanya and, it was in that instant that she finally confirmed that her current relationship with Alice was based upon the other unconsciously using each other to some extent.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do with this information?" Bella asked. Tanya had just in a really strange way, confessed Alice's feelings towards her; however, the second hand information prevented her from allowing her to hope. Bella frowned at that last thought, _why am I hoping for anything right now?_ She asked herself, she had just been able to put herself together again, wasn't it too soon to be having of this line of thinking? Would it ever be ok to have that hope?

Tanya tsk'd her tongue at her companion's idocracy, _Jesus, they're as blind as each other, no wonder she was with me for this long, _she thought to herself_._ Albeit, it had hurt confronting and confirming particular suspicions tonight, but at the same time, she just couldn't fathom how two people who spent so much time together, couldn't or just refused to _see _each other.

When she caught Bella's innocent eyes beseeching her for guidance, she couldn't help her next decision. Just for tonight, she wouldn't be the self-confessed coward that she believed herself to be, she would be the girlfriend that Alice had wanted, "Well, you can start by being honest with yourself and then you can take it from there," she offered.

Bella frowned, "Why are you telling me this?" she finally asked.

Tanya looked at Bella and shrugged, "Maybe it's the alcohol talking, or maybe it's because I heard her whisper your name last night," she finished.

Her stomach coiled and, she wasn't sure if it was due to the memory or the alcohol, regardless she reached for another bottle.

_There, it's done_ she thought with an air of finality.

* * *

Alice was at the bar watching Bella and Tanya engaging in conversation, she was happy that her girlfriend could talk to her neighbour, she knew that the brunette wouldn't be completely dismissive, but she was nervous just the same.

"Oh look Alice, your girlfriend is talking to Tanya," Rose commented audaciously, breaking Alice from her thoughts.

Alice frowned, "Rose," she replied warningly.

The blonde just gave her sister a sharp look, "Don't Rose me in that tone of voice, you know it's true," she retorted.

"I'm with Tanya," the smaller woman defended; however, the blonde wasn't accepting it.

"You may physically be with Tanya, but in every other aspect you're with Bella and you know it. Alice, cut the shit, you can lie to everyone here and maybe even yourself, but you cannot lie to me. There's so much tension between you and Bella that even I'm beginning to get high strung," Rose articulated a little hotly.

Alice stared into the bar top and then the blonde realised how her words had affected her little sister. She hadn't seen the smaller woman look this vulnerable since the first time they had met when they were kids and this caused Rose's heart to bleed a little as well as chastise herself for her lack of tact.

She softened and touched her sister's arm, catching her attention, "Alice, I love you and I just want you to be happy, I know that loving people is pretty much your thing, but love shouldn't hurt other people."

Alice looked at Rose and then blinked slowly, "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

The blonde stood closer to her sister in a semi hug, "It means that you're with a woman under false pretences and it's not fair on her, on you and certainly not Bella," she said gently.

Alice she felt something crack within her and suddenly became very tired, "Bella's just…Bella, I can't explain it any other way than that," she replied.

Rose's lips pursed in understanding and then she looked at her own girlfriend, who was currently sandwiched between two large males. If anyone had ever asked her to describe Leah, the blonde knew that there would be too many things with too little words to fully encapsulate her.

"Why did you ask Bella to go with you to mom and dads?" Rose finally asked and then patiently waited for the answer. At this point, she wouldn't accept anything _except_ an honest answer, it's not that she needed to hear it; she just needed her sister to think about it.

Alice thought about the question, at first she had thought that she asked Bella to come because she was the first person to calm her down in her moment of distress. This was an amazing feat in itself as Alice usually hid away from people when she was suffering, but that day, her neighbour had rushed in _again_ to save her and Alice had actually accepted the help.

But now, provided the time, when Alice was able to really think about the answer, it still confused her. Out of everyone in the world, all the people that she knew, was friends with and even Tanya, Bella was the _only _one that she wanted there. If she were to choose again who she wanted to be there for her, she'd choose Bella.

Rose looked at her sister, knowing that things were slowly but surely falling into place, "Alley, I'm sorry that you're in this predicament, I'm sorry that you've had to wait for so long and have had more negative than positive experiences. But, be honest, wasn't the prelude worth the main event?"

Alice looked through her sister in thought, although it is said that it is the journey rather than the destination that is important; the smaller woman realised that Bella wasn't the endpoint. Instead, Alice suddenly found that she wanted to continue her life's journey _with_ Bella. This moment of clarity, this epiphany caused her heart to drop.

"Rosie, I don't know what to do," Alice said morosely, tapping her head on the bar top. "I don't know what I'm doing with her and yet, I have never been more myself than when I am with her," she finally admitted in a whisper. Perhaps it was cliché, but it was true, the mysterious brunette across the road simultaneously brought the best and worst out in her. She had used her girlfriend and her friendship with Bella to protect everyone from what she really felt and that caused her guilt. Bella had _just _accepted her wife's death and Alice didn't know if she was ready for another relationship, she had no intentions of replacing Ashley, but would Bella understand that now? She shook her head, even when she was thinking about others; her thoughts ultimately lead to Bella.

Rose just patted her back, "I know Al, I know," she replied as comforting as she could.

"Hey Alice, you should probably get Tanya home, she looks ready to puke," Jake suddenly interrupted.

Rose and Alice looked up and, when Jake saw the look on the small woman's face he instantly became concerned, "Hey, are you ok?" he asked her.

Alice rubbed her face with her hand and smiled, "Yeah, just tired from all that dancing, I'll call Tanya a cab," she said.

The man quirked an eyebrow and looked to Rose who gave him no further information, "Why don't you and I walk home? We can't all fit in the cab and it'll give us some time to talk about tomorrow?" he suggested.

Rose smiled, the young man had a care, perception and wisdom that could rival Emmett's and she knew that he would protect her little sister, Alice nodded her head, very much inclined to the idea.

"Great, I'll let Bella know what the go is and round everyone up, I'll meet you up front," he planned and then left the two women to finished their drinks in silence.

* * *

After a wobbly Tanya was placed into a cab with Rose, Leah and Bella, Alice and Jake decided to walk the cool streets of San Francisco together.

"So, how you been little squirt?" Jake asked, when he noticed the small woman deep in thought.

Alice smiled but she didn't really feel it, "Can't complain," she replied.

Jake chuckled, "For a second, I thought that you were going to say, 'same shit different day,' just like Bella," he said, causing the short haired woman to frown.

His gaze softened on her, "It's funny how much people can impact our lives huh?" and Alice could only nod her head in agreement.

They continued walking for a few paces and, with every step, Jake suspected that his tiny companion was either figuring or had figured out her feelings.

"Did Bella ever tell you that I used to have a thing for her?" he suddenly asked Alice.

The abrupt question made Alice break from her thoughts and almost miss a step, "What?" she inquired wondering if she had heard correctly.

Jake could almost laugh at the look he was receiving; he looked around the street and noticed that there weren't any people around. So, he stopped walking and sat in the doorway of a closed store, he wasn't obstructing any pathways, but he just thought it was best to have serious conversations whilst sitting down and it helped that it was a nice night. This prompted Alice to sit down next to him and momentarily distract her from her own thoughts.

Jake looked up into the sky, a wave of nostalgia hitting him as he recounted the memory from so long ago, "Yeah, back in the day when we were teenagers and I thought I was straight," he smirked and looked at Alice who was just staring at him, "Ha, yeah, I know, when you're growing up, you usually experiment with the same sex, not the opposite. But then again, love is fluid and sexuality is subjective, depending on how you want to look at it," he looked up again watching the stars flickering.

"Anyway, when we were younger, we used to spend so much time together and she just got me, she was the only one that did at the time, so yeah, I kinda fell for her. I told her my feelings in high school and whereas she accepted them, she told me that she couldn't return them. She said that I was too much of a brother to her and, well, you know, the whole gay thing," he added with a chuckle.

He continued on as if Alice wasn't there half gaping at him, "She said that she didn't feel that way about me and that she would never be able to. And then, do know what happened? She apologised to me, she apologised to _me_ for loving her."

At the time it had confused the shit out of him why his best friend would apologise for such a thing, but then as the years went on and their relationship became stronger, he realized why she had.

"Bella just, gets people you know? Whether she does it intentionally or not, she has this never-ending capacity to understand people. Even though things may make her feel uncomfortable, she's one of those people who will try to do the best she can to alleviate the pain of someone else, because that's the way that she's been wired. Ha, maybe that's why I fell for her," he looked at Alice this time and knew that she understood what he was saying, after-all she too had been subjected to his friends unyielding care.

"I was scared shit less the day I told her but, I'm glad I did, it's allowed me to appreciate her more as my friend and, she didn't yell at me or refuse to see me ever again. I still love her, but I'm not in love with her, because my friendship with her surpasses that," he added hoping that she'd believe the truth. His companion had stayed silent the entire time and he knew that it was a good thing.

"Alice, you don't stop loving someone, it might change or you may wish you never did, but you don't stop, you can't. And, you can either let it flourish or you can let it sit, deep within the recesses of your heart, where you know it will always be." he finished hoping that she would consider the meaning behind his words. It was already there within her, the things that she had tried so ardently to avoid and hide were beginning to make their way to the surface.

"Jake…" Alice began, but she wasn't quite ready for words yet.

Jacob Black looked into his small companions eyes, "Alice since Ashley died, you're the only one that has gifted her with every opportunity there is to become the person that she was and the person that we know that she can be. And that, right there, that means something."

He grabbed her hand to implore her with one last request; he knew that his next words were going to be unfair, especially after all that she had done. However, seeing as he couldn't always be there for his, now two closest friends, he wanted to impart one last bit of wisdom before he went back home the next day.

"Don't let it go Alice, don't let _her _go."

Alice stared at Jake and then realized why she had found an instant kinship with the young man, it was because of Bella.

Everything reverted back to Bella.

The small woman fished out her phone from her jacket and dialed a number knowing that it would go to voicemail. That was perfect, it would give her some time to think about what she wanted to say.

"Hey, call me back," she looked at Jake with fear, but he gave her an encouraging nod,"we need to talk," she finished.

She hung up, placed her phone back in her pocket and sighed a sigh that spoke of relief and hope.

She smiled.

Alice knew what she had to do.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, the reviews, the favs, followers and support.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Originally, I was going to have one more chapter before this one but, it wouldn't have made sense so, I just decided to go for it. You may want to read the last few lines of the last chapter as I have added a few lines so that this one flows **

**Again, thank you for reading, the favs, follows and reviews.**

* * *

**Bella's P.O.V**

Alice was standing in my doorway drenched to the bone, I had found it strange that she had knocked instead of barged in, but, when I saw her, I instantly recognised that look in her eyes.

She was determined.

"I broke up with Tanya," she informed me.

I take a step backwards which prompts her to take one step forward and close the door, not once breaking eye contact with me. I cross my arms over my chest.

_Lord, give me strength._

"Shouldn't you be at home crying into a tub of ice cream?" I reply, I don't mean to sound as harsh as my tone indicates, but I'm on the defensive and she knows this.

She softens her gaze on me, as if I'm a cornered animal and I know what this means as well.

She was about to reason with me, to calm me.

"Bella, you know why I'm here," she says gently.

Her eyes have always conveyed messages I know that.

I don't want to know, I don't need to know right now, but I do.

At this point in time, I hate that I know what her eyes mean.

I know why she broke up with Tanya, ever since my birthday two days ago, she'd been ignoring me. I know that my neighbour has feelings for me. My non-naivety is astonishing but, not unexpected. Nothing has ever been clear cut with us; our conversations have always confessed so much, yet, so little at all.

But, here's the thing, we get each other, completely and that's why it's worked out, there has only ever been one other person like that. That's why; I hope she understands what I have to do next.

_I'm sorry Alice._

"Alice, we shouldn't be, I mean, we're neighbours," is my petulant response and then she frowns.

"Is that all I am to you?" she whispers, she looks up at me with droplets around her eyes and I know that it's not from the rain.

She was hurt.

"No," it's not true at all, it's just…

"Then why are you against this, against us?" she demands. Her eyes become slits.

She was angry.

I sigh, I want to lie to her and justify my rejection as an inability to understand my own behaviour.

But, I can't, she deserves the truth.

"Because I still love her," I confess.

Sometimes, in our failure to fulfil the things that we want to do, we find ourselves doing the very things that we hate.

This moment is one of them. I want, no, I know that I have feelings for her, but I'm holding back, I know I am.

_Why?_

She looks at me but I refuse to look at her back, I can't accept what will be in her eyes now, not after my admission.

I feel her take a step closer to me, I can smell her perfume, her unique scent and I wait for her to slap me. For leading her on, for obviously having feelings for her too but being too weak to reciprocate, for breaking her heart, any or all of the above is appropriate.

I feel a small hand on my own and I flinch, but I need to stand my ground.

"Bella, I don't intend on replacing Ashley, I never did and I would never want to," she says, still in that gentle tone, "but this, right now, what you and I have here, don't replace me with her. And don't make her an excuse. You know that she wouldn't want that for you," she takes a step closer; I can see her shoes now.

Deep down, I know she's right, I know that Ashley wouldn't have wanted me to be alone, but it's so damn hard.

She puts her hand under my chin and lifts up my head so that our lips are in line with each other.

I look in her eyes.

She cares for me, needlessly, affectionately, carelessly, ardently.

"You don't know anything about her," I whisper, my attempts at further rejecting her are becoming more and more futile as the juxtaposed feelings take over.

Alice smirks at me; she knows that I'm crumbling.

"Perhaps not, but, you know I'm right," she articulates and then, she kisses me.

And simultaneously, all these things occur.

Audio becomes nothing but droplets of rain and breathes been taking away.

Sight becomes blinded as I automatically shut my eyes; Alice's face my last vision.

I can smell Alice's soft sent ferment with my own.

Touch suddenly becomes dance to where I can and cannot.

And finally, taste.

My palate has become enhanced with the flavour of her tongue.

And I don't think it will ever be the same again.

Seconds, minutes, days, a lifetime.

I don't know how long we were like that.

It was better than the very first time in the club, all those months ago.

She reluctantly lets go and my traitorous body make a move towards her.

She puts a hand out to stop me and looks at me with her crystal blue eyes.

There's nothing else but love.

I only know this because it's the same look that Ashley used to give me.

A lump instantly forms in my throat; I make myself sick for making that comparison.

"When you see _us,"_ she motions between herself and I, "come and find me Bella. I'm not giving up on you, but there are some answers that you need to figure out for yourself," she says.

She looks at me again and I know her words are true.

_Hope_.

She leaves and I fall to the floor and start to sob.

I sob because I don't feel as if I've cheated on my wife at all.

I cover my hand with my face and blurrily see my ring finger that's now empty.

It's with Ashley now, in her coffin, buried beneath the earth at Forks.

I trace where it should be and close my eyes.

I remember the very last time that I saw her alive.

* * *

_~Flashback~_

"Seriously honey, out of all the things you get me to read to you, you make me read this?" I asked my wife incredulously, we had just finished reading the last page of the last book of the last series I had written.

She's in the hospital bed, resting, tired, tubed up and waiting, but despite all that, she's looking at me in amusement.

She still looks as beautiful as the day I met her.

"I just love that everyone gets a happy ending," she replies happily.

I sit backwards in my chair, not caring that my legs need to be moved, I'd withstand anything for her.

"You're too optimistic," I snort.

She laughs that beautiful sound, "I have to be, being married to you," she retorts.

I narrow my eyes at her, "You're lucky you're confined right now."

And then she really laughs and I join her in a moment of normalcy until, she starts coughing violently.

I get up from my chair and to her side, "Do you need anything, water? Food? Terrible jelly?" I panic.

Her shoulders stop shaking and then relax, I could never understand how she was able to go through so much and yet, still be that relaxed, strong woman I fell in love with. She was the strongest one out of the two of us.

_Why did this have to happen to her?_

She gives me a sideways glance, "You know I'm not allowed to eat before surgery," she reminds me gently.

I scratch the back of my neck, she's right, I should have remembered, "Sorry."

She senses my change in mood but decides not to comment on it. Instead, I know that she's going to go through a really roundabout way of comforting me.

_I should be the one comforting her._

"Do you remember the first time we met?" she asks me.

I decide to play along, disregarding the hollow feeling in my chest, "How could I not? You were the bitch in my class that spoke as if you were the poster girl for Hallmark," I retort and then she starts chuckling because she knows it's true.

She peers at me with adoration, "You changed me," she states suddenly.

The corner of my mouth turns upward, " I can say the same for you honey, you see something in me that no-one else sees. You see me, in all my fucked up, embarrassingly klutzy, stupid, gl…Ow! Why did you hit me for?" I ask her, rubbing my own arm. For a handicapped person, she still has a fierce slap.

"Because that's my wife you're verbally bashing and I don't like it one bit," she says matter of factly. She always hated it when I doubted and talked badly about myself.

She's looking at me seriously and I know that I should listen now. "Ok, how did I change you?" I decide to ask her.

She takes my hand and cradles it in her own, my heart thumps, it still does that even after years of being together.

She smiles at me gently, so that I understand, "Because of you, I know what I love is. People have been trying to give it a definition for centuries and centuries and here I am, in the 21st century, not only knowing what it is, but experiencing it right now. And it's because of you Bella," she kisses my hand once all the while I can feel my organ palpitating outside of itself.

"You make it sound as if this is the last time I'm going to see you," I say to her, my voice hoarse, I don't even want to think about it.

_If only I knew. _

She doesn't comment instead, she gives me that smile that tells me everything is going to be alright and then places my hand on her heart.

It's beating just as hard and fast as my own.

"Do you feel the love?" she asks me, reciting that song that she always listens to.

I smile and nod my head.

"I feel the love," I reply.

She beams at me, as if surprised I'd understand. _You're my wife, of course I do._

"Then come on, come on, let's start it up. Let it pour out of your soul," she sings back to me.

And then we both smile at each other, goofily and cheesy, just the way we are.

"Don't let the love that pours out of _your_ soul end with me, _ever_," she says warningly.

I drum the fingers that are still on her chest as if considering it and then I look at her.

"I won't," I promise.

_After all, nothing's going to happen so there's no reason to worry. Right?_

She nods her head and pulls me towards to her, needing me to be closer to her and I agree, I hate distance between us.

My face is aligned with hers and it is so familiar, sensual and intimate.

"There is nothing on this earth that you could ever do to diminish what I will always feel for you. I love you Mrs Swan," she whispers to me and then she kisses me.

I can feel my heart imploding.

In a few hours, I would realize that when the hospital gurney wheeled my wife away, it not only contained Ashley Arnold-Swan, but it contained my future with her as well.

_End Flashback~_

* * *

It's been so long since I've thought about that memory Ashley, I miss you.

I looked at the emptiness on my ring finger again.

And then, suddenly it comes to me like a freight train, almost knocking me back into oblivion.

It doesn't hurt.

None of this hurts.

My heart didn't break at the memory; it doesn't tear itself apart when I look at my naked finger.

It doesn't hurt to think about her anymore.

She was my wife.

_My wife_.

In my own pain, I forgot about her, about who she was, about my promise to her.

How the fuck could I do that?

I blink away the tears.

I love Ashley and I miss her, I always would but…

I look at the door where Alice had exited from.

I look up.

I wish you would just give me a sign that it's ok to go to be with Alice. That, it's ok to not feel guilty, that, it's ok to move on with you and Alice apart of my heart.

Not sharing, not replacing, not fighting, but just there.

I wait patiently for something, _anything _from the higher order that would give me an indication. But all that I'm met with is the loud rain hitting the roof over my head.

I sigh, Really? Not even a thunder or lightning bolt?

I look back at the closed door and then, I do something I have only ever done with Ashley and now, with Alice.

I decide to try.

Because, Fuck. This.

I have never been one to let fate decide my future and I'm not going to start now. I am doing this because I want to, I need to and because I know I can.

Bella ran out the door, not caring or bothering to put anything else on to shield her from the weather.

She moved so quickly in fact, that she didn't even notice that the picture of her wife standing next to the door had surreptitiously fallen down.

A photo that Alice had put up, days ago.

* * *

Three knocks were heard in the house across the road and Alice, who had been standing in the kitchen drying herself went to answer it.

She wasn't totally disappointed at how things had gone, she knew that Bella would need time to digest and confront a few things. But she couldn't lie another day; she needed to lay everything on the table. The small woman was terrified, but she had faith, even if things didn't go the way she wanted, she had tried and that was what made the difference.

She would make sure to keep her distance in the meantime and say I love you to Bella, when the other wasn't listening.

She opened the door, not really curious as to who was on the other side.

So, to say that she was surprised when she saw Bella would be an understatement.

"B-Bella…w-what…" she stuttered, not prepared whatsoever for what was about to occur next.

"I'm a fucking idiot," her neighbour admitted and then, the brunette shut the door and kissed Alice.

_Bella_ kissed _Alice._

And Alice reciprocated.

Fully.

When they kissed again, Bella felt nothing and no-one else but Alice and vice versa.

It went on _again_ for seconds, days, months and Alice moaned, momentarily forgetting everything.

She moaned causing her companion to smile, then lift her up and then turn her around.

Alice heard the door being slammed and it wasn't until she felt the wood against her back, did she realise that it was her own body that caused the noise.

She felt warmth along the inside of her legs and became aware that there was a body in between them. Bella's body.

The smaller woman moaned again and tightened her hold.

Bella placed a confident hand on her neighbours waist, she was being bold, but she didn't care.

When a coherent thought was finally able to be processed, Bella stopped kissing her neighbour.

They both gasped for air.

"Go out on a date with me, like, a romantic date with me…" Bella asked still out of breath. She furrowed her brow for a second, "err, please," she added, she was a little out of practice.

Alice was silent, still trying to catch her breath and Bella waited patiently for a reply, that is, until she felt a presence in the midst.

The brunette rested her forehead against the door and turned her lips towards Alice's ear.

"There's people watching us isn't there?" she whispered in dread.

Alice, in response just giggled and nodded her head, still a little delirious from the kiss.

Bella groaned and then gently placed her small neighbour on the floor. She inclined her head towards the living room and was met with the faces of Leah and Rose who had their heads so craned at the view, that she slightly wondered how their necks didn't snap.

She wanted to say something, but was too busy dying from embarrassment.

"That was hot," Leah commented after a few seconds.

Rose could only nod her head once in agreement.

Bella gave a wave in acknowledgement and then turned her head towards Alice, not realizing that they were holding hands.

"Shall we reconvene to my place?" she asked.

Alice nodded her head and the two women walked out the door¸ not saying another word to their audience.

Leah turned Rose, "Babe, have you noticed how dramatic they are?" she asked innocently.

Rose smiled softly and then tucked her girlfriends hair behind her hair reverently, "That's just them Leah," she replied.

* * *

When the door had closed, both women decided to make a break for it because it was still raining.

Alice had almost reached the pedestrian path closest to her neighbour's house when she felt her body get tugged.

She almost body slammed into Bella, who just held her tightly in place.

"Bella, we're going to catch our…." But before the smaller woman could finish, she was kissed again by Bella.

She could really, really get used to being kissed by Bella.

When they stopped, Alice had but one word, but it was articulated with such awe.

"Wow."

Bella just smiled at her, barely noticing the water cascading down her face.

"I just, thought that you'd like to be kissed in the rain," the brunette justified.

She took Alice's hand into her own and then they ran across to her house together.

As soon as her door slammed shut, Bella turned around and they began kissing again, although their minds had just established that romantic connection, their bodies reacted instantly. Months of slowly building frustration between the two had finally erupted and neither could stop it. They didn't really want to either.

Bella pinned Alice against the door again, holding her in place by the hips, feeling the smaller woman's warmth through her water drenched clothes.

Alice's hands were holding onto Bella's neck, keeping her firmly in place, revelling in the languid strokes of her neighbours tongue against her neck.

But, when she felt the brunette cup her buttocks, it snapped some semblance of reality back into Alice's mind.

"Bella…" she started.

Another kiss and another moan.

"We need to talk…" a bite to the neck.

"Yeah," was the non-committed response.

"This isn't talking," Alice replied breathlessly and then, with every ounce of strength she had, she gently pushed Bella backwards and out of the sexual haze that they had inexplicably fell in.

"Wha?" Bella said foggily coming out of the trance.

When she saw the pointed but amused look of her neighbour, her eyes widened.

"Shit, Alice, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me, I mean, you were there, we've kissed so many times tonight and you look good wet and I just….I'm moving too fast right?" Bella rushed out, feeling incredibly embarrassed at her behaviour.

Alice gave her neighbour a soft smile and then took Bella's hand, "Hey, it's ok, I get that you're frustrated, trust me, I am too and I didn't even realise it til the other night," she reassured. Bella's cheeks were enflamed at what could have occurred if not for the smaller woman's intervention.

"Maybe we should get changed and talk, I don't think that either of us are ready for the next step just yet," Alice finished with a wink.

Bella could only nod her head dumbly; she was astonished at the finesse her neighbour was taking everything in because, currently, she was freaking the fuck out.

"Come on," Alice said gently and then, she took them into Bella's room.

* * *

They got changed in silence and awkwardness, neither knowing what to say.

Taking the lead, Alice sat down on the edge of her neighbour's bed and then lay backwards, staring at the ceiling.

Bella hesitated for a moment but, when she saw how relaxed the other woman was, she set aside her own anxiety and sat down next to her. The brunette checked her neighbour out and mentally thought that the smaller woman looked good in her clothes. Perhaps she was being biased or perhaps it was it was because it was Alice, she could make anything look beautiful.

"Sooooo…" she began, hoping that Alice would continue.

Alice broke from whatever thoughts she was having and then looked at her neighbour, "I have to admit Bella, I wasn't expecting to see you again tonight."

The small woman began to play with her neighbours fingertips, slowly tracing them with her own and then, she stopped, no, she needed to have this conversation with Bella without touching her.

Alice sat up and crossed her legs, "What changed?" she asked gently.

Bella made a move to mirror her neighbour's position, "Honestly?" She asked and when Alice nodded she sighed.

"I was thinking about the last time I saw Ashley alive and then I suppose I just had an epiphany," the brunette answered.

Alice tilted her head to the side, "It must have been some epiphany to make you come racing over," she didn't not believe that what her neighbour was saying, it was just hard to digest everything at the moment.

Bella smiled at her neighbour's words, "Yeah, I'm surprised I didn't trip and break my neck."

Alice gauged the brunette as best as she could, although the other woman had a tendency to induce whiplash, she need to be sure, "When I was here before, you seemed so adamant to not be with me, not yet anyway. Bella, I don't want you to be with me because you feel guilty for me, I want to be with you when you're ready."

"I am ready," was Bella's instant reply causing a few beats of silence.

The brunette cleared her throat, "I miss her, I love her, I always will, I'm not going to lie to you about that. But you and me, us, we make sense. You're the only sense of clarity I've had since she's died, I'm not saying that you're replacing her, but you're there," Alice was surprised at her neighbour's usage of the word _D_ word to describe her wife.

Bella reached out to Alice's hand and placed it just above her heart, "I have found that you, my annoying little neighbour, is right here."

Alice furrowed her brow, still a little sceptical, so Bella continued, "You once said that, it is how we get out of darkness which determines who we are. Since living here in San Francisco, I have realized that sometimes we need to reach into ourselves in order to release that hate and loathing within us and sometimes, we need a little help. I have also discovered that people are like nature. Some people flit in our lives like leaves, passing us briefly, but we notice them anyway because they dance valiantly in the wind. Some people are like roses, enchanting to look at, but wickedly dangerous to touch. Some are like massive boulders, protecting us from the things that come at us always acting as permanent anchors," the entire time she had said this, Bella had thought about the people who had graced her life. The people she had met and made friends with and started to appreciate more throughout her time since knowing Alice.

Alice was silent, she was enthralled by her neighbour's words and couldn't help but notice how evident it was that Bella was a writer.

Bella faintly smiled at Alice and then cradle the other woman's hand between them in preparation for her next words. "And others are like ants dressed up as honeybee's trying to get to the hive," she said, echoing a statement that she had made the first time that they all went out into a club.

"Bees?" Alice repeated bit perplexed by the left field analogy, she understood where the reference came from, but failed to see the connection.

Bella nodded her head in confirmation, "Bees ensure the continuation of life, through their never-ending perseverance to protect their hive. Sometimes they blindly sting people in their love and passions and in doing so they pay the ultimate price, however, I don't think that they would have it any other way," she finished with the thought of Ashley in her heart.

"So, where does the ant fit in?" Alice whispered.

The brunette shook her head for mental clearness and then gave a half smile, "Because even the smallest of creatures, should be given a shot at being loved by the hive," she finished. If she were to use that analogy to any other person, it would mean nothing, but Bella knew that Alice would understand. And this was evident in the way the smaller woman's eyes softened in their gaze, in the smaller woman's action of reaching out towards her neighbour.

Bella took a deep breath, "I need to give us that shot because I love you in my own crazy way," she finally admitted.

Alice smiled at her neighbour's words, finally understanding, finally accepting; she placed her hand on Bella's shoulder and leaned in to kiss her again. But this time, it was slow and nurturing; it was everything that Alice wanted it to be. It was everything that Alice had dreamt of and it was how she would only ever want it to be.

It was perfect but, above all else, it was them.

Neighbour to neighbour, Alice to Bella, Bella to Alice.

There was no distance between them and, with a little hope, hard work, honesty and love, there never would be.

**End.~**

* * *

**So, there we have it, the official end, I hope that I've done the entire story justice. If there is something that doesn't make sense or you'd like something clarified, shoot me an email. That being said, I will one day fix up the inconsistencies. **

**I may add more chapters sometime down the line but, I am considering Distance a done and dusted piece. I've had a few thoughts on random chapters though and, if you have an idea in relation to the story, let me know and we can have a think about it. **

**So, stay tuned.**

**Thank you for taking this journey with me.**


	15. Extras: First Date

**I will fix up the grammar and inconsistencies in previous chapters one day. **

**So, I have some extra chapters currently in the process, here's the first.**

**Thank you for reviewing, favs, PMs and the support.**

* * *

"Jake, what the fuck do I do? What do I wear? Shit, where do I take her?" Bella screamed into the phone, effectively freaking out.

She heard a crackle on the other side of the line and then, her best friend's voice, "Hey Alice, how are you? I'm fine thanks; the weather here's been wet but, Forks amiright?"

"Jake, it's Bella," the brunette stipulated, confused.

"Huh? Oh sorry, from the tone and incoherent jumbling of words I had just assumed," her best friend ended with a chuckle.

Bella scowled into her phone, "Stop messing around and tell me what to do," she demanded hysterically.

Jake mentally counted to three and then answered, "Bella, honey, firstly, calm your tits, secondly, deep breathes and thirdly, why are you so scared? You know that Alice likes you, so, there's no need to go all out."

Bella sighed, but wasn't really comforted by the words, "It's a first date, aren't girls like, sentimental about that sort of thing?" she asked.

In reply, she heard a loud smacking on the other line. "Sorry Bella, I was bashing my head against the wall. Look, I love you so, please don't take offence to this but, where's your game? You've been on dates before."

Bella sat on her couch for the first time since she had woken up, "You know that I've only ever dated Ashley," she replied.

Jake scratched his chin in thought, "Well, learn from experience, where did you take her?"

The brunette frowned and thought about the very first and only date that she had ever been on with her deceased wife. A spark ignited within her when she let the memory wash through her like warm water on a cold day.

"Jake, I love you," she stated.

The man was shocked at the sudden admission, as his friend wasn't the most overtly affectionate person and, he couldn't recall the last time that she had said the words to him. It made him grin from ear to ear.

"I love you too Bella. I promise you that it's going to be fine, Alice likes you, you know this, so, don't stress out too much," he gave a cheeky smile and remembered one of his friends traits of anxiousness.

"And stop gnawing on your lip, although, I'm sure that your new girlfriend wouldn't mind soothing the pain," he laughed causing Bella to scowl.

Before she could retort, Jake interrupted again,"Gotta go Bella, good luck and remember to call me when you're done to give me all the juicy details."

And with that, the man hung up.

Jake looked at his phone, he couldn't wipe the smile off his face, he was glad that his best friend finally saw Alice.

Bella, in her own house looked upwards, _Ashley, please give me the strength to not fuck up._

* * *

Bella took five steps, stopped and then turned around.

Bella took five steps, stopped and then turned around.

Bella took five steps, stopped and then turned around.

Bella took five steps, stopped and then turned around.

_Ok, this is dumb, you've been here before, just knock on the fucking door, s_he mentally encouraged herself.

When she had asked Alice out on a romantic date the other week, she had every intention of fulfilling it. However, now that the moment had arrived, she had no idea what she was doing. She knew that Alice liked her but, that didn't qualm the caterpillars that were currently beginning their metamorphosis into butterflies in her stomach. Since the morning she had been in a perpetual state of high anxiety, her adrenaline never ceasing, she now knew how Olympians felt. She was nervous because she just wanted everything to work out but alas therein laid the problem with trying. It can sometimes be a dangerous gamble and Bella, the control freak that she was, couldn't calculate whether or not it would pay off. She was a writer, not a mathematician.

Bella looked at her watch, she knew that she was a little early however; she also knew that if she didn't raise her fist right now and knock on the door, she'd turn around, run back home and deadbolt the door.

She knocked three times.

When the door opened, Bella didn't know whether or not she was relieved to see Leah Clearwater in the doorway.

"Hey Leah," Bella greeted, her voice dry, she cleared it and hoped the other woman didn't notice.

Leah leaned against the doorframe of her house, "Hey Bella, you're looking snazzy tonight, got a hot date?" she asked. In doing so, the brunette silently thanked her neighbour for the one moment of normalcy in the day.

"The hottest," Bella replied.

Leah mock frowned, "But, Rose won't be home for another hour."

"Damn, I guess I'll just come back then," Bella retorted with faux disaapointment.

Leah chuckled, knowing that her neighbour was just playfully bantering, "I'm going to ignore that comment and blame it on first date jitters."

Bella gave a deep breath, "Please do. Err, is Alice ready?"

In response, she received a pointed look.

"Right, forgot," she stated, knowing that the smaller woman was probably still half naked and trying out a thousand outfits. Bella decided to stop those thoughts instantly.

Leah scrutinized her nervous neighbour for a moment, "You wanna come in or, would you like to stay outside to hyperventilate some more?"

Bella rubbed the back of her neck, "Am I that obvious?"

"I think you burned our front porch with your pacing."

"Sorry, it's been a while since I've done this."

Leah looked at the woman in front of her with sympathy, after all, anyone who has ever asked a girl out on a first date could empathize with the inner turmoil.

"Take a seat," she ordered Bella gently, pointing at the porches front step.

They sat next to each other, like two comrades in the same war. Bella stared down at her shoes whilst Leah just stared across the road.

"The first date I ever took Rose on was a complete disaster," Leah began, she received a look from Bella indicating that she had her full attention and continued, "I picked her up at her house and then took her to the strippers as a joke, one that she didn't find funny."

Bella gave her an incredulous look to which Leah just chuckled and continued, "Yeah, she gave me that look too, I think that I was just testing out the waters a little you know? I didn't know if Rose was gay or straight and, I suppose I just wanted to see her reaction, if she would have been repulsed by the idea of seeing naked women," she explained.

Bella frowned, "You probably could have taken her to a gay club."

"Name one in Forks," Leah retorted, the other woman put her hands up and conceded.

Leah scratched the bridge of her nose and then smiled as her memories took over the conversation. "Anyway, Rose took my terrible prank in stride and then, I took her to the movies, fairly standard right? Yeah, well, she fell asleep half way through the movie."

"Jesus, what movie was it?" her companion asked.

"Beowolf."

Bella cringed, "Enough said."

Leah laughed softly, "Yeah, so, I had one last trick up my sleeve, despite the rocky start and theatre nap, I took her to the beach for a nice gentle stroll. So, we get to this bridge and there's this guy just standing there, as if he was just waiting for us and, he rips out a knife and tries to mug us. Now, I can't fight to save my life but Rose, man, you should have seen her, she whipped that guys ass faster than he said, '_give me what you got,"_ she recountered. The pride in her eyes was palpable and Bella couldn't help but smile along with her, momentarily forgetting her anxiety.

"She ended up getting a cut on her hand due to the scuffle and by then, I'm freaking the fuck out. She's my date, I'm supposed to protect her and shit so, I take her and race back to my car. I patch her up with whatever I have which, I think are tissues. Whilst I was patching her up Rose was just staring at me and she told me that I needn't worry about her hand. I look up at her and I said, _'Yeah actually, I do because, if you're not going to then who the fuck is?_ She gave me this fierce look that basically told me to fuck off and that she could protect herself. But I told her that she isn't a responsibility that, she is a person, one who I can see myself caring really deeply for."

Leah looked at her neighbour, "At the time, I already did care a lot about her but, I didn't want to freak her out, though, she probably already knew, the little minx. So,she continued staring at me as if surprised by my answer and then, out of nowhere she demanded that I kiss her. And the rest, as they say is history."

"Wow," Bella was enthralled by Leah's words, not only was this the first time that the other woman had said so much to her in one conversation but, it revealed how much the other woman cared for her current girlfriend. It was incredible.

"Yeah, I know," Leah nodded.

"Wow," was all Bella could say.

Leah smirked, "You already said that."

She gave her neighbours knee a tap with her own, "The point is, no matter what happens tonight, Alice knows that you already have deep feelings for her and vice versa. Everything is going to be fine and, if things don't happen the way you wished for tonight just, play it by ear, improvise, she just wants to be with you, no more, no less. You guys took so long to get together, don't make it worth nothing."

Bella heard the words and knew that Leah was right; she couldn't let her fear hinder what a great night she had promised Alice. She couldn't let her fear overrule and dictate how she should act tonight and, she wouldn't.

"Thanks," Bella replied, appreciative to have Leah as her neighbour.

Leah smiled, "You're welcome."

A few moments passed by and Leah coughed in order to gain Bella's attention, "By the way, Rose isn't here to do this so, consider this your threat from the best friend speech. You sure as hell better not hurt her and you fucking better protect her with your life; otherwise you're going to have a mob after you," she said menacingly.

Bella nodded her head in understanding, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything otherwise."

Leah rubbed her jaw, "Good because, we've all been rooting for you guys to hook up this whole time," she stated.

The brunette did a double take at this admission, "Who's this, we?"

Her companion smirked, "Pretty much the entire Cullen family, Emmett even named it operation Bellice," she laughed; in response Bella just blushed and cursed the large Cullen male for being so far away.

Before she could express her outrage, the front door opened to reveal a stunning little Alice Cullen, beaming down at the two women.

Bella stood up instantly and smiled, forgetting her previous flustered state.

"Hey Bella, I hope that you made it ok and weren't waiting for too long," Alice welcomed, eyes shining brightly, she gave the brunette a hug and was so glad that the other woman was no longer fearful or flinched at her embrace.

When they stopped hugging, Bella took a step backwards and craned an eyebrow, "Oh yeah, the drive was terrible, there was a traffic jam all the way interstate, turns out it was just chickens trying to cross the road," she retorted sarcastically.

"So, the mystery is now solved," Alice chuckled.

Bella smiled and took a long look at her neighbour, "You look beautiful by the way and, I'm not just saying that, you always do," she whispered causing Alice to blush, she mentally high-fived herself.

"T-thank you," the smaller woman said, loving and hating that Bella was the only person that could make her stutter.

Leah felt her insides warm at the sight, she had to admit, the two women in front of her were cute, though, anyone with feelings could sense that.

She walked towards her front door, snapping the women out of their little bubble, "Alright, you kids take care now," she turned around and wagged her finger at Alice like a father would their child, "don't be too late young Alice, curfew is at 1200am otherwise you'll turn into a pumpkin," she said with a playful smile.

Alice just rolled her eyes but hugged Leah and then bid her goodnight.

Bella nodded at her San Francisco confidante, "Night Leah and thanks for your help."

Leah shooed them away, went inside and shut the door. She walked over to her couch, sat down and sighed; maybe Rose would like to go out on a date after work.

* * *

Alice danced towards her neighbours beat up truck, "So, what are we doing and where are we going?" she asked whilst getting in the front passenger seat.

Bella got in her car but didn't start it, "Well, I was going to take you out to some great book stores that I've hunted in the area but, I've reconsidered. Seeing as the theme for tonight is fear, tonight is going to be Face Your Fears Night."

Alice tilted her head to the side and Bella couldn't help but think that the smaller woman looked adorable; she just wanted to kiss her and not go anywhere.

She continued, "We're going to each pick something that we fear and then we're going to get through it together,"

The smaller woman just smiled at the originality of her date's proposal and decided to go with the flow, "Ok, so, what's your fear?" she asked.

Bella thanked the higher orders that her impromptu suggestion was being taken in stride, but then, perhaps that was just Alice, "I'm going to kill two birds with one stone so, I'm kind of cheating. The first fear is heights," she confessed.

"No you're not," Alice interrupted, causing the other woman to crane an eyebrow.

"I think that I know what I'm scared of," Bella retorted.

"But, we've been on a plane together."

Bella coughed into her hand evenly, "Ever heard of Valium?"

Alice looked at her date in shock, "You took Valium to go on a plane ride for me? Why didn't you tell me at the time?" she all but yelled.

The brunette just scratched the back of her neck sheepishly, "You had other things on your mind without me adding onto that. I just, didn't want you to worry," she answered.

The smaller woman just looked at her neighbour and wondered how long the other woman had had feelings for her but just didn't realise it, "You're such a dumb sweet idiot," she replied with an endearing shake of the head.

Bella just grinned, not caring that she had been called a dumb idiot by Alice, the smaller woman thought that she was sweet and that adjective alone had just made her night.

"So, what are you scared of?" Bella asked Alice.

The woman in question just grimaced, "Honestly?"

When she was met with silence and a nod of the head by the brunette, Alice gave a deep sigh and decided to finally acknowledge her secret fear.

"Sparklers," she confessed.

Bella had to stop and process what her date had just said, "You…what? Sparklers? As in, the cheap little sticks that you light up and they sparkle?"

Alice although embarrassed by the admission, defended it, "Hey, don't judge, sparks shouldn't be allowed in the hands of children, what if it burns them?"

Bella craned an eyebrow and fought the urge to laugh, "You know that's impossible right?"

The smaller woman just folded her arms over her chest, "Nothing is impossible Bella, we both know that."

The brunette just conceded to the logic, she felt a little guilty for making fun but, sparklers?

"Ok, why sparklers though?"

Alice unfolded her arms, "I had Edward and Emmett as brothers growing up so, on my birthday one year they woke me up by lighting sparklers in my face whilst screaming HAPPY BIRTHDAY. It was sweet, I suppose, but, needless to say, it scared the crap out of me and I didn't talk to them for a week," she recounted.

Bella encapsulated Alice's hand with her own unconsciously, "What made you talk to them again?"

At this, Alice smirked, "Emmett gave me his deserts for a week and Edward gave me his prized Tonka Porche toy, it was yellow if memory serves me correctly," she smiled.

Bella smiled along with her, trust younger Alice to use extortion tactics on her brothers. She kissed Alice's hand and then started her car. Blink 182's First Date flittered through the speakers causing both of them to laugh at the timing.

Bella grinned at Alice, "Ok, sparklers. Now, let's get on with Friday night, face your fears night!"

* * *

"Come on, the clown is offering, just take it," Bella encouraged, trying hard not to laugh.

On the drive, the brunette had thought that it wouldn't do to just go around to a random store and pick up the sticks. So, when they passed a street performer who had just happened to have sparklers on him, the brunette almost burnt out her tires trying to park the car. It was too bad that the street performer happened to be a clown.

Currently, the two women were standing a fair distance away from the clown who was looking at them openly, silently asking them to take the sparklers as they pleased.

He lit another several sticks and then held out his hand again.

Alice flinched when the sticks ignited and then shook her head defiantly, "No, you can't make me," she refused, "And, did we really have to go see a clown for this? What clown has random sparklers in their pants?"

The clown frowned, why wouldn't the women just take his damned sparklers?

"I think you offended him," Bella commented.

Alice looked at the clowns forlorn expression and instantly felt guilt, "Ah, jeez, ok, ok, fine. Here we go," she said.

Bella stood behind Alice with her hands on the woman's shoulders; she slowly directed their movements towards the clown. It was a comical sight, watching two older women approaching a mute clown like a lion tamer towards a roaring lion.

"You're ok, I'm right here. I promise nothing is going to get you," Bella whispered.

She felt Alice stiffen and turn her head, "Pinky promise?" the smaller woman asked Bella holding out the finger.

The brunette couldn't help but smile and wrap her outer finger with Alice's, "Pinky promise," she replied and then, to tighten the deal, with the same hand, she raised her thumb, "We'll even stamp it too," she said.

Alice grinned at their antics, she touched her thumb with Bella's, "And stamp it," she replied. She gave Bella a peck on the lips, silently wondering how she could have lasted this long without doing so. She then turned her attention back to the clown with the sparklers in his hand.

Bella always made Alice feel at ease and this time was no different. They took small strides towards the clown and, when Alice finally reached out to take the fiery hazard, she almost screamed and threw it back at the performer.

Bella gave the clown a few bills and then ushered a whimpering Alice away.

They stopped at a nearby tree, "Are you ok?" Bella asked Alice who was still watching the potential blazing death stick wearily.

"I t-think I need to c-change my pants," Alice replied.

_Why do they burn for so damn long?_ She asked herself, she could see the flickers of sparks burning downwards and they were getting ever so closer to her arm. In about five seconds, she was going to start losing her shit.

Bella watched the fear and worry written on her date's face, she took a step closer to Alice who looked torn between laying her attention on the brunette and keeping an eye on the stick in her hand. She chose the sparking death stick of doom.

Bella smiled and reached out towards Alice's hand with the sparkler, "It's ok, just, let the light guide you," she whispered, moving inches closer.

Alice frowned, "Guide me to where?" she looked up and was surprised to see Bella so close to her.

Without replying and with her dates hand in hers, Bella kissed Alice, slowly and comfortingly. The small woman forgot about the sparklers or the slight warmth that they brought when they were reaching towards the end, she was much too busy to think about it. With her other hand, she held Bella's head in place and deepened their kiss. They didn't stop until long after the sticks had burned out.

Alice looked at Bella with all the affection she could, "Smooth operator," she commented with a large grin.

Bella returned the smile, "The smoothest," she replied.

* * *

It was getting late into the night and Alice and Bella were currently standing on an edge of a cliff. The drop itself wasn't too high or dangerous but, it was still enough to induce fear.

"You want to cliff dive? Alice, not even people without a fear of heights would willingly do such a thing," Bella stated, she refused to look down at the cliffs edge but could hear the waves crashing against hard rock.

Alice held her date tighter, she could smell the crispness of the lake but it was Bella's own scent that overwhelmed her.

"Well, the Ferris wheel is too busy and, there's no bungee jumping places around here," she simply answered.

Bella looked at the smaller woman, "What ever happened to a nice skyscraper or cable car?"

"That's way too cliché, we've always been different," Alice responded with a wink.

The brunette still refused to look anywhere else but Alice, "But, cliff diving? I'm sure that there's an old wives story in here somewhere," she began.

Alice could feel Bella's heart beating erratically, "Bella,"

But the other woman just kept ranting, "I can imagine it now, '_Kids, remember when I say, if your friends asked you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?_"

"Bella…"

"Well, there was this one lady named Bella…"

"Isabella!" Alice yelled out.

Bella whipped her head so fast that the smaller woman was surprised that she didn't get whiplash, "What did you just call me?" Bella asked.

"Sorry, but, you just kept talking," Alice justified with a shrug of the shoulders.

Bella squinted her eyes, "Oh Mary, you don't know what you're getting yourself into," she said ominously.

Alice fought everything within herself to not scoff, "Stop straying from the topic, you're going to be fine, I mean, I faced my fears didn't I?"

Although Alice was still frightened at the thought of sparklers, she suspected that her moment with Bella would assist to alleviate that tension in future occurances.

"Are you sure about this?" Bella asked wearily.

For the first time, Alice looked down at the cliffs edge and silently wondered how far the drop was, "Y-yeah, let's do it."

Bella smirked, "Are you scared Alice dear?"

The smaller woman just scrunched her face, "Pssshhh, no," she replied unconvincingly. In response Bella just gave a quirk of the eyebrow.

"Ok, crashing waves of doom? Yeah, I'm a little scared," Alice admitted.

Bella cleared her throat, was it too late to back out now? She stretched her fingertips and felt the fabric that was thinly layered on Alice's skin. She knew that the body was different to her deceased wife's but the warmth she felt. Oh the warmth made her heart flutter, not that she'd readily admit to that.

Alice looked at the serene face of her date, to be honest; she didn't actually think that Bella was going to go through with the date. They were comfortable with each other and they were getting to know each other like the backs of their hands but, actively engaging in commitment like scenes was different. She knew that she would never be able to compete with Bella's past love for her wife but, she didn't want to. The present with Bella was something that she had always desired and the future, well, the future looked brighter already.

"What did you do with Ashley on your first date?" Alice suddenly asked, it had been forever since she had added,_ you don't need to answer,_ at the end of such questions. But, that just demonstrated the relational progression that they were moving towards.

Bella frowned, "You want to know that?"

In response the smaller woman just smiled and nodded her head, "I want you to be able to talk about her."

She must have said something right because, the next moment, she received a kiss on the forehead. That was another thing that had surprised Alice; Bella was actually a physically affectionate person when provided the opportunity. Albeit, it was awkwardly sweet but, the intent emotions were still prevalent.

"On our first date, I took her to various book stores, it took me forever to find just one book that I liked but, she didn't mind because she was exactly the same and, she said that she liked seeing the expression on my face when I saw something that I was in awe with. She said that it was like watching a kids face light up on Christmas morning," Bella recounted nostalgically.

Alice continued smiling and could definitely see the events unfolding in her mind's eye, "It's nice that you both had so many common interests," she commented. She wasn't jealous she just had this intuitive thirst to gain any and all knowledge about Bella, she always had. For, the possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.

Bella shook her thoughts from her mind, "We have things in common," she stated.

Alice gave a playful smirk and slowly started to sway side by side, "Yeah? Name one."

Her date just smiled, "Each other."

Alice felt herself internally swoon at the comment and continued swaying as if a song had suddenly started playing, "That's sweet but, you know what's sweeter?"

"What?" Bella replied, unconsciously swaying and moving with Alice.

"The rush you're going to get when I fall for you," the small woman replied impishly.

Bella frowned at the comment, not noticing that the crashing waves were getting louder and louder, "Fall for me, but I thought…."

Before she could finish, she felt her body get thrown backwards.

"MARY ALICE!" she screamed as she felt her body get vacuumed into the air.

The last sound she heard before her body met the sea was tinkling laughter, with that in mind; she finally allowed her body to be swallowed.

* * *

Seeing as both women were drenched, they thought that it was best that they get home before either of them started to catch a cold. They drove back home to their street and Bella walked Alice to her door, wanting the other woman to get inside and change but also wanting her to stay.

They were facing each other in front of the baby blue doors, neither wanting to say goodnight first.

"Bella, you said that you were killing two birds with one stone before, what's your second fear?" Alice asked, the thought been in the back of her mind.

Her date just smiled, "Going on this date. You scare me well, not you exactly Little Miss Shorty but, just, being with you."

Alice raised a brow, "That makes me feel so much better," she answered sarcastically.

Bella scratched the back of her neck and suddenly felt as if she were on the precipice of the cliff again, "Being with you terrifies me because you actually want to be with me, you're not perfect, you're absolutely wonderful and, I just can't fathom how or why you feel the need to pick me."

Alice softened her eyes at the honest insecurity of her neighbour she had seen her neighbour vulnerable but, being insecure about herself was something new, "Have I told you recently how much of a dumb sweet idiot you are?"

"Not within the past hour," Bella answered.

Alice took one step forward and held Bella's hand, "You have made waiting worth it," she articulated.

The taller woman grinned at the heartfelt words and squeezed her dates hands, "And you call me a smooth operator."

Alice winked, "Well, it's that and, I guess that you're just lucky that I'm I like with you."

Bella raised an eyebrow, "Just like?"

"You can't give everything away on a first date," replied Alice with a shrug.

They shared a chuckle but knew that the night was coming to a close.

"I had a really great time tonight Bella, I knew that I would but, I'm a girl and we tend to be sentimental about these sorts of things," Alice commented, hoping that the words would give her a few more seconds.

"Tell Jake that," Bella murmured to no one in particular.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm glad that you had a good time Alice." Bella felt her heart beat faster but, it wasn't due to the anxiety that she had felt prior to the date starting.

"See you tomorrow?" she asked her date.

In lieu of responding, Alice closed the gap between the distance of their bodies and kissed Bella gently.

Alice was the first to let go and smiled one of those blissful smiles, "That's Alice language for yes."

Her date mirrored her action, "Well, seeing as you're the speech pathologist, it looks like I'm going to need another session," Bella replied.

It was cheesy and a horrid line but, neither of them cared enough to comment, instead, they were too involved in the lasting remains of their very first date.

* * *

**Stay tuned for more Extras. And, as always thank you for reading.**


	16. Extras: Night Watch

**Thank you to all the wonderful comments, PM's, favs and follows. ****Any questions, comments or queries please hit me with them and i'd be ever so grateful. I seriously take your feedback into consideration in order to better myself as a writer.**

* * *

"So, you're just going to watch me sleep?" Bella asked Alice.

Currently she was sitting in bed with the covers draped over her legs and her arms folded defiantly. Although the entire situation made her feel awkward, she understood why her neighbour had suggested that this occur. It didn't mean that she completely agreed to it however.

Alice smiled at the childish behaviour of Bella and then readjusted herself on the one seater chair that was facing towards the bed.

"Yep," she answered.

Bella frowned, "Isn't that a little, I don't know, weird?"

Alice continued smiling, "Not really, it'd be just like Twilight," she replied with glee.

In return, the brunette in bed rolled her eyes, "Which reminds me, I need to educate you in literature."

"Yes, but you can't do that with a bad back," Alice retorted.

Bella wriggled her toes, hating how bouncy and confined everything was, "I think the Hunchback of Notre Dame did a good job."

Alice raised an eyebrow, "He rang bells, he wasn't a librarian, now go to sleep," she demanded.

Bella mock huffed, "The first time I get into bed with my girlfriend and she wants to sleep," she commented. In doing so, she was met with silence so, she peered at Alice who was suddenly perched forward and grinning from ear to ear at her.

"What?" she self-consciously asked, shifting in her place.

"You called me your girlfriend," the smaller woman replied in a whisper.

Bella started to freak out, it wasn't conscious, it just slipped out, they had never really defined or labelled their relationship, well, that is, until now.

"Well, I mean, is that ok?" She queried.

Alice beamed brighter and felt her heart warm, "It is more than ok," she answered gently.

Bella nodded her head and repeated the word _girlfriend_ in her mind. She hadn't felt guilty for using the term; it had just been a while since she had used it. She turned her body towards Alice who had reclined back on the chair. _Girlfriend. _

If she were being truly honest, Bella's body ached to feel the warmth radiate between them but, Alice had explained why it wouldn't do to have them both in the same bed at the moment. Justifying her current distance as a small baby step into the brunettes ability to move forward. Bella hated beds ever since Ashley had died, believing that the space to be too big for just one person. For so long she had shared the space and slumber with another and when that comfort was taken away she couldn't help but feel as if something was missing within her. She hated beds because they reminded her of loss.

Alice however, decided that this needed to change and Bella, after much coercion and who had developed a perpetual crick in her neck from sleeping on her couch finally agreed.

"How about a story?" Alice asked breaking Bella from her thoughts.

Without waiting for a response, the smaller woman walked over to the bookshelf and retrieved a small novel. She sat back down on the chair, crossed her legs and then opened up the pages, appreciating the old smell of a pre-loved book. The entire atmosphere was the exact depiction of one reading to their loved one under the watchful eye of the moon and the single lamp that released the only source of light.

"If you read any of my books it'll induce a coma," Bella grumbled.

Alice looked at the woman in bed, "You need to be more positive in your writing ability, it may not be Anne Rice, but you've brought happiness to so many people. Wasn't it worth it?" she asked gently.

Bella sighed, "That's what Ashley used to say."

"Then you know I'm right," the smaller woman affirmed. She placed a single finger in between the pages of the book and half stood up to give Bella a lingering kiss on the forehead.

"Are you settled?" she whispered.

Bella blushed at the intimacy but nodded her head and Alice sat back down again.

"Good, now, that you're settled, we can begin reading," the small woman stated with a sparkle in her eye.

"Yes mother," Bella drawled out.

"Already talking about children Bella dear?" Alice questioned impishly, cracking open the small novel again.

Bella blushed, "Shut up."

"Now, now, we can't have that kind of talk around our children," the smaller woman replied back.

When she basically saw the steam coming out of her the brunette's ears, she decided to relent.

"Bella, I'm kidding, just lie back and let me read to you," she ordered softly.

Bella sighed, well, it was now or never, personally she would have preferred the latter but, with Alice in the room she felt a bit more relaxed. Alice's very presence instilled within her a courage and strength that she had long forgotten about. She retrieved the covers, tucked them just underneath her chin and then shivered. It was so strange.

Alice smiled and looked down at the small book she choose, it was a collection of Hans Christian Anderson bed time stories, "It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. Evening came on, the last evening of the year…" She looked up at Bella who was just smiling at her, knowing why Alice had chosen this particular tale to read.

The smaller woman just continued bringing words to life.

Bella closed her eyes and concentrated on the steady beating of her heart.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

And, it was only after about a page of reading did Alice's voice carry her away to visit the Sandman.

Alice read the last sentence of _The Little Matchstick Girl_ and smiled at the peaceful slumber that her girlfriend was now in. Girlfriend, Bella had called her her girlfriend, she felt giddy at the thought.

She placed the book on the bedside table, turned off the light and then lent over to place one last kiss on Bella's forehead.

"Goodnight Bella," she whispered.

She sat back on the chair, stretched out her legs and then wondered how the brunette had slept on a couch for so long. She looked at the time that read 11.30; it was going to be a long night but, she took solace in knowing that her efforts were all for Bella.

* * *

Bella blearily opened her eyes and felt it odd that her body didn't ache; she knew that it was still night time and that, she was in her room. When her eyes became accustomed to the dark, they instantly focused on a figure that was standing a foot away from her.

"Holy Fuck!" she screamed, totally forgetting that Alice had promised to stay in her room for the night.

Bella shot up into a sitting position and then quickly turned on the light, shaking the American Horror Story feeling that she had. That shit was intense.

Alice was standing a step away from the bed, giving Bella a deer caught in headlights look, after returning from the bathroom.

"Jesus, Alice? Way to scare a girl, I thought you were an axe murderer," Bella stated, trying to still her adrenaline laced body.

Alice sat on the edge of the bed next to Bella and rubbed soothing patterns on the other woman's thigh.

"An axe murderer does not wear Polar Bear pajamas," she retorted, looking down at her own colourful attire of fleece pajamas.

Bella felt herself calming at the touch, she also felt another emotion start to bubble within her, though; she tried not to think about it. "You don't know that, they could have some sort of weird fetish or something."

Alice smiled and then grimaced as the hours of sitting stationary on a couch was starting to take a toll on her back, Bella noticed her discomfort.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

The smaller woman just nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine, since you've been sleeping; this old diabolical torture device and I are now best friends," she stated looking at the one seater lounge chair in faux fondness.

Bella raised an eyebrow, "I sleep for an hour and you start an affair with inanimate objects."

Alice never ceased her deft movements on the brunette's thigh, "Well, it was either that or try to decipher what you were saying in your sleep."

Bella stuttered, "I don't sleep talk."

"You'll never know," Alice winked. She then arched her torso upwards in order to crack her spine, Bella grimaced at the popping noises and then made the decision to refuse Alice from spending a night on the chair.

"Get in," she suddenly demanded.

Alice frowned, she had explained to Bella why this wouldn't be a good idea but, before she could voice her concerns Bella cut in.

"What? A bed's not good enough for you now?" The brunette challenged.

Alice scoffed and then looked at the one seated couch, should she or shouldn't she? Well, it's not like they hadn't shared sleeping space before. But, that was prior to Bella and herself being in a relationship. She was about to refuse however, when she looked at the open and inviting face of Bella again, her resolve broke. How could you not say no?

"Move over, I like the left side," Alice finally replied.

Bella grinned at having won and then rolled aside, beds were much better when shared, when she caught herself thinking that, it dawned on her how much she had changed.

Alice crept into the bed and relished in the warmth, ever the epitome of being as snug as a bug in a rug. It was like waking up in bed on a crisp and cold morning, never wanting to leave or perhaps it was just because she was surrounded in Bella's scent.

Bella refrained from laughing at the look of ecstasy on Alice's face, "I'm half-surprised that you didn't just get in when you knew I was sleeping," she commented.

Alice stopped her unconscious rolling in bed, "I didn't want to disturb you," she answered. She turned to face her _girlfriend_ in bed.

"You wouldn't have…" Bella began but was then cut off with a look from Alice.

"Ok, even if you didn't know whether or not you'd disturb me, it's ok, I would have understood once I realised that it was you that was next to me," she said, at least, she thinks she would have been ok with it.

She shook her head because what if's didn't matter at the moment, it was far too late at night to be thinking hypothetically even if the best thoughts are before sleep. So, instead, she decided to not ruin this moment.

She cusped Alice's face with the palm of her hand and noticed that it fit perfectly, "Don't be afraid to reach out to me, I know that we don't have the most pristine track record, but I want you to know that you can come to me, that you can trust me, and talk to me. And, I'll try to do the same," she promised.

Alice smiled at the words, how words could make her feel like a teenager was beyond her but Bella could always do so without even trying. She placed a sweet kiss on the brunette's lips and then turned around.

After a few moments, when she realised that Bella still hadn't moved from her position, the smaller woman reached behind her. When she felt Bella's hand, she tugged on it so that Bella was now flush against her. She placed Bella's hand on her own stomach and held it in place, entwining their fingers together.

"Is this ok?" she whispered to Bella. She could feel the other woman's heart pounding erratically against her shoulder blade.

Bella blinked hard and tried not to think about how intimate they were. _I don't know,_ she wanted to reply but then, that would mean rejecting the entire point of tonight. She moved her head so that she didn't suffocate on the black tufts of Alice's short hair and that it now lightly rested against the back of Alice's neck.

"Yeah," she whispered back.

Alice tried not to shiver at the breath that tickled her or at the smoky tone that Bella had used. She didn't trust herself to reply so she just nodded her head lightly.

When she felt brave enough, Bella kissed the closest spot of skin that her lips could touch, "I promise that nothing is going to get you tonight. Goodnight Alice."

Alice wanted to make some sarcastic remark about her being the one that was supposed to be on watchdog duty tonight but, she couldn't find it within herself to do it.

In response, she just clasped their hands tighter together believing and feeling in her heart that what the brunette, Bella, her girlfriend had said was true.

* * *

Bella woke up feeling good. She had had dreams but couldn't remember it; rather, she felt remnants of them within her. She felt as if she had a nightmare but that it was resolved in some way. Oh well, it was only just a dream.

She yawned, closed her eyes, snuggled further into the warm body next to her and smiled.

"Mmm, Ashley," she moaned.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say that," was the response she received.

Bella opened her eyes and reacted so fast that it became next week.

"Shit Alice, Fuck, crap, Jesus, I'm so fucking sorry!" she hysterically apologised. The guilt washed upon her like a cold shower and she sat up awaiting the oncoming storm.

Alice didn't have the heart to be angry at the honest mistake, she sat up and placed a hand on Bella's thigh comfortingly, "Hey, hey, it's ok, granted, I had thought that the first time we slept together in bed, you'd be swearing for different reasons but, I'll take what I can get," she tried to sooth.

Albeit, she was a little hurt at having her girlfriend say another woman's name in bed but, she knew that this type of error was going to happen and that it didn't mean that Bella placed people in a type of hierarchy. Although things were more crystalized between them, it was also so fragile. She made it a point in her mind to thank Rose for that little nugget of wisdom.

"You're not upset?" Bella asked surprised.

Alice's face softened, "Ego is a little blown but, I understand, we're taking baby steps ok?" To ensure that nothing major had been damaged, she kissed Bella's cheek and smiled. Perhaps they would have a serious talk about it one day or perhaps not, but right now, understanding needed to take place.

Bella felt her alarm subside for the moment, "I'm sorry Alice, it's just, I woke up and was wrapped up in a body and I just assumed that you were her."

"Bella, it's ok, I mean, it'd be great if you could wake up to be moaning _my_ name, but, I know that you're going to need time to adjust," the smaller woman replied.

The brunette felt grateful at having found such a wonderful person in her life, "Thank you Alice."

Alice smiled, "You are most welcome, after all, not all of us are used to dating," she stated with a wink.

Bella rolled her eyes, "You mean a love whore," she retorted.

"You did not just call me a whore," the smaller woman stated with faux anger.

Bella groaned and fell backwards on the bed, "I claim early morning brain deadness on that comment."

Alice looked at her form and then joined her, lacing their fingers together, "You cannot use that excuse forever," she chuckled.

"So, how was your first night back in bed?" she asked the brunette.

"It was a night to remember," Bella replied honestly. It was odd and scary and she daren't thought about doing again alone tonight. But, she knew she had to, if not to please Alice but to ensure that she could do it, that she was becoming the person that she wanted to be in baby steps. After crawling for so long, she needed to start stretching her legs and walking.

Bella looked at the time and sighed, "I gotta get ready, I have an appointment."

"Hey, that's my line," Alice stated playfully.

Bella watched at how the other woman looked in her bed with the early morning sun hitting her face. Some may name her disarray, but Bella would describe her as ethereally beautiful.

They both knew that it was time to start the day and with it, they would both be counting the minutes until they see each other again.

"Why don't you get ready and, I'll make some coffee," Alice suggested and Bella felt her heart strings pull at the consideration.

Oh yeah, this woman was definitely a keeper.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and, stay tuned for some more Extras. **


	17. Extras: The Ex

**Thank you to everyone who has PM'd, fav'd, reviewed, read and so forth this story. I never intended it to be this long but, your support has certainly encouraged me. **

* * *

Alice entered the staff kitchenette of the clinics building to make herself a much needed coffee, although it was only 12 o'clock, the small woman could feel the tendons in her muscles pulsating. She knew that her body was frustrated. It had been a few months since Bella and herself had been together now, but not _together, together, _like,intimately. Though, that didn't stop the very heated make out sessions that they had been having at each others houses. Although they hadn't broached the topic, they both seemed to be under the mutual agreement that things shouldn't escalate too much further between them. Alice seemed to be scared of pushing Bella. Her dominate personality had taken over so much in their friendship and relationship, so, Alice thought it best that Bella take the lead on this one. Ironically however, neither woman knew that they shared the same fears.

It was a good thing that Alice lived across the road from her girlfriend, for those really really cold showers; otherwise she'd be stewing in bed for the entire night. That was another thing; when she did leave, Bella was ok with it. Bella was finally able to sleep in bed without prompt now, the thought made Alice smile.

A voice interrupted her thoughts, "Err, hey Alice," Tanya greeted as she approached the smaller woman. Although the two women had worked in the same clinic building, since their break up, they hadn't really seen much of each other. Albeit, that may have been due to Tanya's efforts of avoidance.

Alice smiled pleasantly even though she knew, that she would always feel conflicted in her past relationship with the other woman. It was an amicable beginning, middle and end but, that still didn't stop the small bit of guilt that welled within her.

"Tanya, hi, How are you?" she answered.

Tanya procured a mug from the top cupboard and started the coffee process, "Shit," she answered honestly, averting Alice's eyes.

Alice saddened but felt slightly vindicated, "I'm sorry."

Tanya sighed, she hadn't meant to sound so, bitter but, she couldn't help it, after all, we tend to hurt the people that we most care about. She mirrored Alice's position next to her, leaning against the kitchen bench and stared at the wall, fighting the urge to tuck Alice's hair behind her ear.

"I know, me too. Look, I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit bitter but, I know that your heart doesn't belong to me. I knew for a really long time but, I guess that I was just selfish," she answered.

Alice could scarcely believe what she was hearing, the other woman next to her was trying to shoulder the blame, when clearly she was the one at fault, "I don't think so, I mean, I kind of used you too you know? And I'm sorry that I did," she answered.

Tanya quirked an eyebrow, "You're sorry, but not sorry," she stated as an observation, in turn, the smaller of the two had the tact to look guilty.

Tanya shook her head, "It's ok, I get it," she assured.

Well, not really but, she decided to just agree to disagree in this, it sucked but, life moves on. A few months' worth of Jack Daniels certainly placed things into perspective for her. And, standing next to said woman right now, being in her presence, she couldn't find it within herself to be angry at her, it was too exhausting.

"Just, make sure that that woman treats you right, you deserve it," she added as a final comment.

Alice smiled and nodded her head in agreement, taking the subtle hint that things were ok between them.

"So, are there any new prospects on the horizon?" she asked Tanya.

"So long as they're not a workmate," was the automatic response. Well, almost everything was ok between them.

Alice grimaced and Tanya chastised herself¸ "Sorry."

The smaller woman shook her head, "It's understandable. Do you even _have_ a type?" Alice asked curiously. She was just making conversation at the old water hole but, she was also trying to subtly gauge whether or not she could help out. Her inner cupid complex was always at the fringes even though; she probably knew that she shouldn't meddle.

Tanya took a purposeful sip from her mug, "A woman who breathes," she answered.

Alice laughed, "Hmm, that's always a good start, I imagine that a woman who doesn't breathe isn't much of a conversationalist," she stated.

Tanya looked perplexed by the retort, "I mean, any woman who's alive."

Alice chuckling, she had forgotten that her humour couldn't be appreciated by everyone, "Yeah, I got that," she addressed.

A few awkward seconds passed by, each woman taking sips from their near empty mugs, "Do you think that we'll ever be friends?" Tanya suddenly queried.

Alice smiled at the sentiment but answered in her own unique Alice way, "It's a nice thought to have and, I think I read somewhere in the lesbian hand book that women are supposed to be besties with their ex's."

Alice chuckled but was met with a blank stare, "I was joking, there is no lesbian handbook," she clarified.

"Oh," Tanya followed.

It was in this moment where Alice began to wonder how they had meshed for so long, now, that isn't to articulate that her relationship with Tanya was anything but pleasant, it was. The other woman however, just didn't understand her humour or understand her not in the way that Bella did. She questioned how she was able to be so blind for so long in the first place.

"You're thinking about her right now aren't you?" Tanya asked interrupting Alice's thoughts.

Alice unconsciously scratched the back of her neck in shame and Tanya bumped hips with her, "Don't be sorry, I can read it all over your face. I just, didn't realize how much you liked her until I saw it for myself."

She finished what was left in her coffee, turned around to place the mug in the sink and then drew a deep breath in and out.

"You guys are good together," Tanya finally stated, finally accepting it.

Alice noticed the lack of coffee in her own mug and then began to rinse it out with hot water, she hadn't always done so but, Bella was a bit of a clean freak so now, it was just common practice.

"Thank you," Alice replied to Tanya who was staring at her in odd fascination. She had known the smaller woman to be about as tidy as a two year old in a sand box with paint.

"You're welcome," she murmured.

Alice smiled, unaware of her change in behaviour, "I hope that you find someone Tanya, I'm not the only one that deserves to be treated right," the authenticity of her statement made Tanya thankful. Before she could reply, Alice's phone rang in her pocket, she placed the mug and dishcloth that she had been using to dry, on the sink and fished it out her pocket.

She smiled when she saw that it was Bella but, wasn't rude enough to answer in front of her ex-girlfriend or co-worker, distant that they may be. She pressed the reject button, knowing that her girlfriend would understand.

"Sorry," she said to Tanya.

Tanya just scoffed playfully, "Stop apologising and call your girlfriend, I'm sure she wouldn't be too pleased that you're talking to your ex-girlfriend," she ended with an uncharacteristic wink.

Alice was taken aback by the statement but decided not to show it, because when she really thought about it, the topic hadn't been entertained. The small woman just, forgot that Bella may have had other attractions as well, obviously barring her ex-wife but, before and after then. Actually, Alice didn't know Bella's sexual history at all, of course it didn't _really_ matter but strangely, it had just never crossed her mind before.

"You know, it's never come up," she finally settled with answering.

"Huh," Tanya commented.

The smaller woman smiled, "I found love across the road, maybe you will too."

Tanya mock rolled her eyes, "My neighbour is a balding 57 year old man, maybe she's hiding underneath a rock."

Alice disruptively and playfully threw the dishcloth at Tanya who just caught it.

"Stranger things have happened," Alice remarked.

Tanya bit her tongue to stop her from retorting, '_Yeh, like us dating._' She congratulated herself on a job well done.

Alice grinned and bid her ex-girlfriend a good day, glad that a small bridge was being constructed to connect the rift between them. She walked outside the kitchen door and dialled a number that she had memorized backwards; Bella picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hey, are you ok?" Alice said into her receiver.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't mean to disturb you at work but, I had an inkling that you were taking a coffee break at the moment," Bella replied and Alice could hear the smile in her voice.

"You'd be correct in that assumption, did somebody miss me too much?" she asked cheekily.

"Pshhh no, I just called to say hello," Bella answered.

Alice almost rolled her eyes, knowing that the other woman had been listening to a particular song on repeat for the past few days.

"Have you been listening to Martin Solvieg _again_?"

"Ye—no," was the terrible lie.

Alice chuckled, her girlfriend was a little bit lame and awkward sometimes but, that was the charm about her.

"Did you use the same line on Jake to no avail?" She theorized.

She heard a sigh and then smiled, even through the phone, Bella was like an open book, "He hasn't heard the song, the boy is musically inept, he thought that Chris Isaak and Johnny Cash were the same person."

Alice decided to play along with her girlfriends outrage, "Did you smack him and re-educate him?" she asked with a wry smile.

Bella had and, smiled at the memory, "See? You get me," she commented.

Alice grinned at the flow between them, "Bella, I _could_ stick around and get along with you," she articulated, citing lyrics to the song that Bella was currently enamoured by.

"Wait, does that mean that you're not really into me?" Bella finished with a smile.

Alice laughed at how equally uncool either of them were, "How could you suggest such a thing? I am like, totally into you, Hell-o-oh," she stated.

"Really?" Bella asked in mock surprise.

"Really , really," Alice confirmed without a doubt in her mind that she made the right choice with Bella.

* * *

Tanya frowned at the dishcloth that was still in her hands, she had heard snippets of the private conversation, as Alice hadn't moved too far from the kitchen, nor was her office too far from it.

From all the current dramatics, her life seemed to be some kind of bad romantic comedy whereby she played the secondary character. You know the one, the leading protagonist is caught in between the push and pull tango of two people but has to ultimately decide which one they should choose. Often, the one that they ditch is instantly disliked by the audience but, here's the thing, they never really tell you what happens after The End. Terrible sequels notwithstanding.

Tanya sighed, she wasn't a bad person, she knew that, she just, wasn't the leading lady in Alice's life but, she hoped that she would be to someone, someday. She looked out the window and felt lighter at the prospect.

Interestingly, little did Tanya know that love was to be found quite literally around the corner, when she would eventually bump into a woman, by the name of Irina in two weeks' time, on a Tuesday.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. If you're wondering what song I'm referring to it's Martin Solvieg ft. Dragonette-Hello.**


	18. Extras: Happy Birthday Alice

**Thank you for all the reviews, pm's, thoughts, fav's and of course, for taking the time to read. I have about 4-5 more extra's for this story and then I'll start thinking about a sequel/fixing.**

* * *

Alice's birthday was drawing to a close, it was 1115pm at night and, it had been a spectacular day for the one year older woman. Bella had prepared and set up a grandiose surprise dinner with Rose and Leah at Bella's house in celebration. Needless to say, Alice was impressed by her girlfriend's efforts as she had thought that the other woman didn't know or had forgotten.

Currently, she was washing the accumulated dishes in the sink, much to Bella's disdain, Alice didn't mind, she had found that washing dishes to be cathartic. It provided her the opportunity for self-reflection in its rhythmic pattern. She felt two arms encircle her waist, a kiss upon the side of her head and then a weight lean in the nook of her shoulder and neck, all of which caused her to smile, they were alone now and it felt like home.

"You know, I can't wash dishes with an extra body on me," she murmured.

"Are you calling me fat?" The body asked her.

"Not at all, just stating a fact," Alice replied not ceasing her washing. She felt the body chuckle against her back and refrained from shivering or from allowing her hips to make any suggestive movements.

"It's your birthday, you shouldn't be doing this in the first place," the body stated.

Alice stopped for the first time since she began and turned her head towards Bella's, she gave her a slow kiss.

"It's my birthday, I can do what I want to," she stated.

Bella rolled her eyes and then let go of the woman, she walked next to the speakers dock and searched for a song. When it successfully played she went back to Alice who was just staring at her curiously.

_Well, it's now or never,_ Bella thought to herself.

With all the courage she had, she went to Alice, ripped the washing gloves off of the woman and initiated a slow dance. She held Alice close towards her, holding her by the hips, in return, her partner instantly moved her hands against her neck. During this entire process, Alice was too shocked to comment.

"I thought you didn't dance?" she finally asked.

Bella concentrated on the random slow waltz that they were dancing, ensuring that she didn't step on her partner's feet, "Yeah, but, I know that you do and, if we're going to be dating, I'm going to show you my moves sometime," she commented, Alice felt her heart soar. She lightly massaged Bella's neck, causing the tiny hairs at the base to meet with those agile fingers.

They danced to and fro, back and forth, with only a silent swish of movements to articulate their closeness. The spell wasn't broken until Bella leant her head down so that her lips were in line with Alice's ear to whisper the song's lyrics.

Alice could do nothing more in response than to kiss Bella soundly on the lips. When they required oxygen, they gasped for life in the form of each other's breath.

Before this moment Alice had never felt so loved by one person, not to this extent and not this deeply. In this moment, she wanted to share everything with Bella, she knew that there was nothing that she had ever wanted more than to have Bella by her side. She was in love and she was in returned, loved. But, this desire was tainted by a sudden crippling fear, what if Bella changed her mind? The foreign feelings within her felt strange for usually, she was the open one in the relationship, the expressive, the confident, gung ho instigator except with Bella, it was different. Alice was usually all of those things because she didn't have anything to lose but with Bella, there was too much to lose and that scared the shit out of her.

Within the same line, Bella was a nervous wreck, she knew where she wanted the night to lead but, she was conflicted. Not in the sense that she wasn't ready but, in the inquiry of whether they were both ready. The nights spent with Alice sleeping in bed and pre-sleep make out sessions had certainly demonstrated that they were both really, really, physically attracted to each other. But, before things could intensify, one of them would either cite needing to work early, that they were tired or just, that they should wait. Whatever waiting entailed or the time specification was never clarified. However, after a thorough discussion with Jake who had laughed at her for being so uncomfortable she had realised that, perhaps Alice was just waiting patiently for her. This epiphany made Bella realize that they could take that next step it was just a matter of opportunity.

She looked at Alice, who was still in thought and decided to bite the bullet, she needed to let the other woman know that she was ready. They ended their dance but didn't make a move to let go of each other.

She coughed to gain Alice's attention and, to give herself that one moment to build her confidence, "I know that I already gave you a birthday present but, err, I suppose this is kind of another one, sorta. Not that you have to take it or even use it right now, I mean, _use_ is kind of the wrong word here and I…" she ranted.

_Oh yeah, things are going so well, _she sarcastically remarked to herself, she was about to continue speaking when, Alice gave her a peck on the lips.

"Although you're cute when you ramble, just breathe, I'm not going anywhere," the smaller woman whispered.

Bella smiled at the sentiment, "Thanks."

"That's ok, we can't have two stuttering Sally's here," Alice winked.

Bella took her girlfriends suggestion, drew in a breath, in and out and disregarded her pounding heart and sweaty palms, "I'm ready," she stated.

Alice's brow furrowed in confusion, "For?"

Bella almost groaned at her own left field statement, she let go of the other woman and then rubbed the back of her neck hoping that it'd temper her oncoming blush, "You know, I'm ready for…sex," she clarified.

The other woman was surprised at that statement, she knew that their relationship was leading toward that direction, but, to have to laid out in open air was a different matter.

"Oh. Ohhhhh. We don't have to if you're not ready Bella, I can wait, not going to lie, my wrist has probably developed early onset of arthritis but, it's ok, I would never ever want to push you into something that you're not ready for," she stated.

Bella rubbed her face with the palm of her hand, "I think I've been ready for a while now, there was just, never a moment to really talk about it. I'm not saying that you have to cash it in now or anything."

Alice considered Bella's heartfelt words; she knew that the other woman was nervous and that it had taken so much courage to admit how she felt, "Way to make yourself sound like a prized cow, Bella. But, thank you."

Bella smiled gingerly, "You're welcome."

The song that had been playing on the speakers drew to a close and they were left in silence. They gave each other an awkward smile, not really knowing where to go from there. Of course sexual intimacy had run through both the women's minds but, now that they were at that stage, it was harder to initiate it, than previously imagined. Seduction was the easy part.

Bella almost rolled her eyes at that thought; they were like two awkward teenagers losing their virginities for the first time.

Alice looked at her girlfriend, feeling her own anxiety bubble to the surface; they both had waited for this moment for so long, the question was, could she deliver? Alice had assumed that Bella hadn't participated in sexual acts since her wife's passing. What if Bella mentally compared them? What if Alice wasn't adequate enough? Her insecurities were a manifestation of her desire to be the best girlfriend. However, she hadn't considered that being the best girlfriend and being the best girlfriend that _she _could be were two different concepts.

She looked at Bella who had been looking at her with the same confusion as her own and, decided to see where the night would take them.

Alice was the first to cave and gave Bella a peck on the lips, which turned into another and then another, months of pent up frustration coming to the forefront.

They moved to Bella's bedroom and landed on top of the mattress. Alice was on her back with Bella between her legs, she was gripping her tightly around the waist not wanting the other woman to move an inch away. Bella was leaning on her knees and knew that if she didn't move soon, her quadricepses were going to prematurely protest. She tried to move in order to re-adjust herself but found that her fingers were wedged between Alice's back and the mattress.

She broke for air, "Move left," she requested to Alice who was a little light headed, the smaller woman moved, accidently knocking Bella's elbow out from under her in the process.

Bella's face hit the pillows with a thud, "No, no, I meant your other left," she muffled out.

Alice giggled nervously but, the adrenaline within her subsided it quickly. With an uncommon strength, she grabbed the collar of Bella's shirt and managed to flip them so that she was straddling her.

They continued kissing.

And kissing.

And kissing.

Just like always.

However, for tonight, Bella decided to be a bit more brazen. Her fingers travelled the length of Alice's back, feeling the contrast between rough fabric and smooth skin. She unzipped the back of Alice's black fitted dress slowly and thought about how bunched the skirt was against her thighs. She could almost feel the skin of the inside of Alice's thighs through her own jeans, she could definitely feel the heat though.

When the metal zip was down, Alice shivered at the coolness of it, Bella palmed the base of Alice's back and then travelled upwards inch by inch. Alice arched her back, immensely enjoying the physical attention and the slow seduction on her body. Bella's fingers were playing her like a viola and she couldn't help but grind her hips to its tune.

Bella's thumb tapped the clasp of Alice's bra clasp so she held it upwards, not wanting the trek to end so soon, her fingers twinkled in delight and managed to reach the back of Alice's neck. When they had enough of their visit, they went to go back to their starting point. However, Alice's clothes had other ideas.

"My fucking fingers are stuck," Bella said after a minute of fumbling.

Alice wanted to retort that they had to be fucking in order to be fucking fingers but decided against it as the incredulity of Bella's statement struck her.

"What do you mean your fingers stuck?" she asked a little stunted.

"As in, it's caught between your bra and dress," Bella replied with a frown.

"I thought that something was tightening, how did you manage that?" Alice questioned.

The woman on top of her shrugged and tried to wriggle her fingers free, "I don't know, it's me remember?"

Alice rolled her eyes but knew it to be true, "Right, here, lemme help you." She reached behind her back and managed to set Bella's fingers free from their entanglement. After that little hiccup, Alice had thought the mood to be ruined until she looked up at Bella.

The woman was currently staring at her in a sort of wondrous awe; she looked down at herself and realized that the straps of her dress had fallen to the sides. She could certainly no longer claim modesty as her bright red lacy bra was proudly on display.

She blushed.

She made a move to cover herself back up but her girlfriend still had her hands in place.

"You are so fucking breathtaking," Bella commented in a whisper.

Alice laid her hands on Bella's neck and rubbed her girlfriends jaw with the pad of her thumbs. She felt the sharp bone line and felt the skin that her tongue had so meticulously trailed before. She smiled and felt her heart thump, "Thank you," she whispered back.

They smiled at each other and Alice felt that she needed to take her dress off so, she did, with Bella's help of course.

Bella flipped them again in their first position silently wondering how they hadn't fallen off the bed yet. She held herself up with one arm and half lay in between the apex of Alice's thighs. With her knees she began a slow rocking motion that gained momentum and confidence after she heard Alice moan.

The smaller woman groaned at being surrounded by her girlfriend, however, after a few moments when Bella had start to really pick up the pace it started to become a little bit uncomfortable.

"Your belt's digging into me," she informed Bella.

The woman snapped out of her concentration when Alice's words registered, she looked down and noticed how awkwardly placed her belt buckle was positioned.

"Shit, sorry," she stammered backwards but was caught by Alice who had held her by her shirt.

The smaller woman just grinned mischievously and then, without a second thought, unbuckled and then unceremoniously ripped her belt from the loops of her jeans. Alice pulled Bella against her again, causing the taller woman to chuckle, "Better?" she asked.

Alice smirked at the one less layer between them, "Much."

They continued kissing again, not caring that either of them were beginning to feel the oncoming signs of a pash rash. They continued this dance of foreplay for another fifteen minutes, neither one really brave enough to instigate any touching beneath the layers.

Alice again was the first to relent and reached behind Bella who was currently clad in a bra and jeans, she frowned when she wasn't making any leeway, causing both women to stop their tonsil hockey.

"Are you…are you having problems with unhooking my bra? How is that even possible?" Bella asked incredulously.

Alice mirrored the same look, this had never ever happened before, "I-I don't know," she replied.

They both went to fix the issue but instead, ended up head bumping each other with a loud thud.

"Are you ok?" they asked simultaneously, wincing at the impact.

Both women went to sooth each other's bumps and, it was during this distraction did the night's events hit them, causing both of them to start laughing.

Bella went into a sitting position on the bed, having sobered from the haze that they had previously been in, "Should we, I mean, should we keep trying?" she asked, the mirth and awkwardness of the situation dancing in her eyes. That last knock on the head and, from everything that had conspired was like the ultimate cold shower.

Alice sat up and rested her back against the headboard, the wood cooling her body, she played with the edges of her hair and didn't mind her state of undress in front of Bella, "We've had several hiccups so far and, I don't want either of us to gain a concussion our first time trying."

Bella groaned, "It would be just like us to have a sex related injury without even having sex; Leah would never let me hear the end of it," she stated.

The smaller woman smiled, it never ceased to amaze her whenever she realized how much her girlfriend had come out of her shell since all those months ago, "Have I told you how cute it is that you and Leah have a bromance?"

The brunette scoffed playfully, "We haven't even had sex yet and you're already saying else's name in bed."

Bella sighed, "I'm sorry, this is my fault, it's just, been so long since I've done this, I'm not sure if I'm doing the right things." She wanted to admit that Ashley had been her first and only but, didn't feel the need to bring it up at the moment, not now when the mood was effectively gone. Perhaps that had hindered her to really be into tonight, her body was ready she knew that, if the chemistry between them was any indication but maybe she wasn't as ready as she had previously thought. She felt guilty at that.

Alice could see the inner turmoil stirring within Bella, she left her position to straddle the other woman in comfort. She kissed Bella on the forehead, "Don't you dare say that you're sorry. It's not your fault Bella I'm nervous too, having sex fantasy you and real you are two very different things. Maybe we're forcing it a bit too much right now. We've both been expecting this and, now that it's here, neither of us can really cope. But, I want you to know that, I'll wait for as long as you need."

Bella gave a half smile, "That was so cheesy I almost became lactose intolerant," she commented, "I'm not asking you to wait forever, I have to admit, with every passing night, my cold showers are becoming longer and longer. I just don't know what's wrong with me."

Alice frowned, "Nothing is wrong with you, perhaps it's just, too many emotions?" she offered.

The other woman chuckled lamely, "It's like being stuck in a big glass case of emotions."

They gave each other dorky grins and then, Alice made the first move to lie on top of the covers with Bella following suit, lying on her back.

"So, what happens now?" Alice asked leaning on her side, facing the brunette.

Bella turned her head, "We'll have sex sooner or later, you look way too good without clothes on," she stated, giving Alice a pointed look.

The woman made no move to cover herself, "Agreed. I look way too good without clothes on," Alice slyly retorted with a wink, Bella just rolled her eyes.

"Can we just cuddle and you can read to me?" she asked Bella after a few moments.

The brunette smiled, "For you, always."

Alice returned the gesture, her heart filling with warmth at those simple words, even though the night hadn't gone quite as expected, there was one re-occurring thought that she had and it was because of Bella.

"Best birthday ever."

* * *

**Thank you for reading. **


	19. Extras: 5 Second Rule

**Thank you to all the PM's, reviews, favs, follows so on and so forth.**

* * *

Alice was chopping vegetables when a piece fell on the floor, like a ninja looking for pirates gold, she swooped it up and popped it in her mouth, only to be caught by a staring Bella.

Her girlfriend slowly stood up, and walked her way over to the smaller woman, staring at her the entire time, as if in a trance.

When the brunette stood before her, she was a little bit creeped but, it was overrun by their closeness. Alice could feel herself being caught within the same haze just by the sheer proximity of having Bella near her.

Alice finished chewing the last piece of carrot and the spoke, "What? Five second ru…" but, before she could finish that sentence, she was engulfed by a kiss so forceful that it almost knocked her into last week.

She felt herself get pushed backwards against the sink, but she didn't care. She was too involved with the welcomed assault upon her lips and persons.

They broke for air and Bella looked at her with hooded eyes, only seeing her, with nothing but love and accepting her as the woman she was.

"I want you," Bella whispered and then began to nuzzle the crook of her neck.

Alice moaned quietly, "N-Now?" she asked.

Her girlfriend started to tug at the bottom of her holed and ratty t-shirt that she'd had since college, trying and failing to feel the flesh beneath.

"Yes," was the determined response, Alice tightened her hold and could feel herself getting lost.

"I-Is this because I just ate something off the floor? Because if that's the case, I would have…" another kiss stopped her rambling, it also helped to anchor her.

"No, it's because I am so enamoured by you, Mary Alice Brandon Cullen. You and only you."

Bella stopped her ministrations and looked at Alice in the eyes, searching for something. It only took a moment but, she found it when the smaller woman fluttered her eyelids up and down just the once.

Bella felt her heart melt and, in return, Alice let herself melt with Bella for the rest of the night.

* * *

"You have a tattoo?" Alice asked Bella, half wondering how she was able to speak at all after the night's events and, half wanting to scream 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED', to the first passer-by.

They were draped across the bed in a tangled heap of limbs, linen and love.

Bella half-smiled, very much worn out, she wasn't an athlete but, she definitely felt like an Olympian, "Yeah," she replied and then moved so that the smaller woman could get a better look at it.

Alice recognised the black image instantly adorned on her girlfriends right shoulder and then sidled up next to her, feeling exceedingly affectionate and needy at the moment. Not that either of them really minded though.

"I never knew, you don't seem the type," Alice commented knowing that she'd get a rise, she started to draw random patterns where her fingers lay.

Bella feigned outrage, but didn't move, "What does that mean? I'm totally badass, I drink and I smoke."

Alice raised an eyebrow, "You haven't had a drink since we were in Forks and you unconsciously quit smoking because of me during that time. Oh yeah real badass baby."

The brunette just stuck her tongue out playfully and, it took everything within Alice to not put Bella's tongue to better use.

"Why a camera?" Alice remembering the tattoo on her girlfriend.

Bella started to play with the edges of Alice's slightly damp hair, "Ashley was a photographer. She used to take pictures of everything, not like, food or anything, just, people, places, strangers. I got into more fights than I can remember because people were wondering what a crazy woman was doing taking pictures of kids in parks. Sometimes, it was annoying but then, I'd remember that it was her passion that, _she_ was a passionate person and she just, wanted to be engulfed by it all the time." Bella took a moment to inhale Alice's scent to remind herself where she was and who she was with and then, she continued, "She used to say to me, _all_ _images tell a story that can never be taken away because they are crystalized in that one moment where someone wanted to capture it forever."_

Alice smiled, whenever her girlfriend remembered something about Ashley, it always felt like Bella was revealing something about herself too. Contrary to belief and, as strange as it may be to some, Alice actually found it quite humbling.

"She was a smart woman," Alice stated.

Bella could do nothing but nod her head in agreement, it was getting easier and then, a thought came to her.

"You're not jealous or weird about me having this are you?" she questioned.

Alice shook her head, "No, I think it's lovely."

They continued in their embrace for a few moments until Alice broke the silence, "Hypothetically, if I had said no, what would you have done?"

Bella scrunched her face in thought, "I think I have a hand scourer here somewhere."

The smaller woman grimaced, "That's gross."

"Yeah but, you love me," Bella chuckled.

Alice raised herself on an elbow, completely ignoring modesty, "Really now?" she challenged playfully.

In response, her girlfriend mirrored her position but kept their legs entangled, "Yeap, you admitted it quite a few times tonight, I think the people in the next street know it now."

Alice feigned anger, "Well, you called me God a few times, does that make it true?"

Bella shrugged, "Goddess has too many syllables."

After that sentence, Alice couldn't get fake angry even if she tried. She suddenly straddled Bella, not caring about the surprised squawk or her own fatigue.

"Then, I guess it's true that I love you then," she whispered, pinning Bella to the bed.

"Really now?" The brunette asked echoing the earlier challenge posed, she made no moves to break free, she didn't want to, she knew she was safe.

Alice nodded her head, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways," she answered and then, without waiting for a response, she pressed her lips on Bella five times, on five different parts of her body, in five seconds.

Forehead.

Lips.

Clavicle.

Shoulder.

Heart.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Love can come instantly, it can come in days, months, years, whatever the human conception of time may be, but, here's the thing, it is felt for a fucking lifetime.

And those five seconds, Bella fell in love Alice all over again.

* * *

**I know it's short but, I didn't fancy writing a sex scene nor did I want to leave Bella and Alice hanging for too long, way too much sexual tension in the air. And, I guess it was to also show that sometimes, big and wondrous feelings can permeate from the smallest and most mysterious circumstances. Anyway, thank you for reading. **


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